The Mistake
by lizzyrocks.m
Summary: It was 6th Year and the war was right around the corner, whether people knew it or not. Hermione was hurting, and everyone knows that when you hurt you make mistakes. Some you regret and some you don't. Some you wish you could take back because the hurt increases. Hermione made a mistake that could cost her her friends, her reputation, her pride and quite possibly her life.
1. Twittering Yellow Birds

**J. K. Rowling is a genius who created the magical wizarding world we love, and who has all claims over this story. I own nothing.**

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Gryffindor had just won their match against Slytherin and were holding a party in celebration of their victory. Every Gryffindor seemed to be there, every Gryffindor except one, Harry noticed. This dampened his mood slightly as he really had no idea how to help Ron and Hermione patch up their friendship that seemed to be in the process of being ripped into shreds and disintegrating into nothing but constant bickering, arguments and slowly developed hatred. At least that's what it appeared to be when looking at Hermione. When looking at Ron, instead of hatred he was just oblivious to anything Hermione was trying to say and slightly hurt from when Hermione kissed Viktor Krum years ago.

His mood brightened when he found he had bumped into Ginny.

"Looking for Ron?" She asked, smirking. "He's over there, the filthy hypocrite."

Harry looked into the corner she was indicating. There, in full view of the whole room, stood Ron wrapped so closely around Lavender Brown it was hard to tell whose hands were whose. After exchanging a few more words with Ginny, she walked off with Crookshanks trailing behind eyeing Arnold the Pygmy Puff, who was riding on Ginny's shoulder, like his next meal. Harry frowned slightly at Ron, who did not look like he would be surfacing anytime soon, and turned away just in time to see the portrait hole closing. Crap, he thought as he darted forwards and ran through the portrait hole to a deserted corridor.

He found Hermione in the first unlocked classroom he tried. She was sitting on the teacher's desk, alone except for a small ring of twittering yellow birds circling her head, which she had clearly just conjured out of midair.

"Oh, hello, Harry." She said in a brittle voice. "I was just practicing."

"Yeah... they're - er -really good." Said Harry, not really sure what to say to her.

Hermione looked down at her hands, fidgeting with them, before looking back at him. "Ron seems to be enjoying the celebrations." She said in an unnaturally high-pitched voice.

"Er... does he?" Harry rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Don't pretend you didn't see him," Hermione snarled bitterly. "He wasn't exactly hiding it, was-"

The door behind them burst open. To Harry's horror and Hermione's dismay, Ron came in laughing, pulling Lavender by the hand.

"Oh," Ron said, stopping suddenly at the sight of Harry and Hermione. Hermione glared at the two that had just come in, hatred radiating off her.

"Oops!" Lavender exclaimed, oblivious to the death glare that was boring into her head. Hermione gripped her wand that was hidden from sight, a string of curses on the tip of her tongue. She didn't care if one or two of them might be illegal and another would land her in Azkaban, she was ready to scream them out loud for the whole castle to hear, Ministry and consequences be damned. But before she had the chance, Lavender backed out of the room giggling and swung the door shut behind her. It's probably for the best, Hermione thought bitterly, although she knew she probably would have relished the pain both Ron and Lavender would have experienced.

Hermione glowered at Ron, who was refusing to look at her, but said with a mixture of bravado and awkwardness, "Hi, Harry! Wondered where you'd got to!" Completely ignoring Hermione's presence. Internally, Hermione was fuming at the boy, the least he could do was acknowledge her.

She slid of the desk. "You shouldn't leave Lavender waiting outside," She said quietly, knowing that if she said it any louder even a deaf person would be able to hear the venom in her words. "She'll wonder where you've gone." She walked very slowly towards the door, the golden birds continuing to twitter in circles around her head.

Ron looked relieved that Hermione was leaving and that nothing worse had happened. Hermione noticed this and her clenched her fists before turning around suddenly and shrieking "Oppungo!" from the doorway. The little flock of birds were suddenly speeding like a hail of fat golden bullets towards Ron, pecking and clawing at every bit of flesh they could reach.

Hermione smirked at the yelps and shrieks that came from Ron. She shot him a look of vindictive fury before wrenching open the door and disappearing through it. Much to her dismay, before the door was fully closed, she let out an involuntary sob, which she was sure the others would have heard.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Lavender asked, her face a perfect picture of worry and innocence, but the smugness in her voice was palpable. Hermione stiffened, the remaining sobs that were going to climb up her throat gone immediately. She quickly wiped her eyes and face to get rid of any evidence of the two tears that had escaped before she turned to face Lavender, who was leaning against the wall outside the classroom, waiting for Ron.

Hermione's eyes went from open and vulnerable to hard and cold in an instant. She didn't want Ron to know that she had been crying over him, let alone tell Lavender. "I'm fine, Lavender." She said, her voice void of all emotions.

Lavender smirked. "Then why are you crying?" She batted her eyes a few times at Hermione, and smiled sweetly.

Hermione didn't back down from Lavender's mocking gaze. "I just received a letter from my parents, telling me that my Grandfather just died. Forgive me for showing some emotion over the death of a beloved family member." Hermione replied bitterly, but she put just the right amount of anguish into her words to make it believable.

Lavender seemed very taken aback from Hermione's response and was rendered speechless. "I- I'm-" Lavender stuttered.

Hermione raised her eyebrow slightly in victory and amusement. The door behind them opened, and Harry and Ron stepped through it. Before either could say anything, Hermione stepped past Lavender and stormed away, her fists opening and closing in aggravation.

Ron watched Hermione march off, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, before wrapping his arms around Lavender's waist. "What was that about?" He asked, secretly quite smug at the idea of Hermione and Lavender fighting over him.

"Her Grandfather just died." Lavender said sadly, she may view Hermione as the competition for Ron - a competition that she thought she had clearly won - but that didn't mean that she was completely closed off to things like pity and sympathy when it came to things that weren't related to Ron.

"What?" Ron gasped, as he hadn't expected that. He had been expecting more of an ego boosting response. "That doesn't really explain why she attacked me though."

Harry scratched his head in confusion and worry. "I think you ignoring her when she was grieving and needed friends didn't exactly help." He mumbled.


	2. Distraction

**J. K. Rowling has all claims**

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Hermione stormed round the corner away from the others. That's all she cared about. Getting as far away from Ron and Lavender as possible. Her eyes started to tear up again but she furiously wiped them away before the tears could fall.

"I don't want to cry over that prat." She muttered to herself. "He doesn't deserve that much attention from me. Does he thank me at all for anything I've done for him? No! Does he apologise when he is obviously in the wrong? No!" She continued to ramble bitterly. "No, he doesn't deserve my tears. I will not cry over him." She tells herself, rather determined.

She continued storming around the school without any real direction, turning round corners, going up and down stairs almost blindly. Thankfully, she had not come across anybody in the corridors, they all seemed to be in their common rooms, but she still had to watch out for the patrolling prefects - which she was not as it wasn't her shift. Getting caught raging around the school after hours whilst seething would not be a good idea, she didn't know if she'd break down into tears, curse the person or simply walk away. She didn't trust herself at the moment, and she wouldn't for the next few hours as she found the ever growing anger at Ron decreased the logic in her mind dramatically.

She turned a corner and found herself staring at the Fat Lady, keeper of the Gryffindor portrait hole. She screwed up her nose. "Nope." She said to herself, turning around and heading in the opposite direction. "No way. I'm not ready to go back to the dorm and last the night without killing Lavender." She chuckled slightly as she continued walking aimlessly. "Heck, they'd never be able to tell it as me if I used a pillow, they'd just assumed she stopped breathing. Using magic would be stupid, all they'd have to do is cast Priori Incantatem."

She rounded another corner, one that led to the Room of Requirement, but crashed into something and landed on the ground. "Ugh." She growled at the pain that vibrated through her body from the impact with the hard stone floors that Hogwarts was made up of. She snapped her head up when she heard someone else growl and found Draco Malfoy rubbing his joints, trying to get rid of the pain. "Ferret." She growled at him, standing up and ignoring her protesting body.

His head snapped up, momentarily shocked before he stood up and narrowed his eyes at her. "Beaver." He snarled. "What do you think you're doing roaming the school after hours?"

"Preventing a murder." She snapped at him. Draco's eyes widened in panic, but he collected himself rather quickly, not giving anything away. She continued to glare at him. "What do _you_ think you're doing roaming the corridors after hours?" She asked him, still growling.

"Minding my own business." He retorted quickly.

Hermione smirked, causing Draco to raise an eyebrow. "Unable to complete the Dark Lord's task then?" She sneered.

Draco whipped out his wand and pressed her against the wall. "Shut it, Granger."

"I'll take that as a yes."

"I said shut it."

Hermione didn't back down or feel like she needed to crawl up into a corner and hide, which is what most people would have done at the look of fury on Draco's face. She continued to glare at him, delighting at the fact that she had found someone to take her anger for Ron out on. No one would care what she did to him, it was Malfoy. The perfect scapegoat. "What are you going to do to make me?" She spat. "Make sure you're father hears about it? Oh, wait... that doesn't work anymore because he's in Azkaban."

"Granger." Malfoy warned.

"Run to your dear master?" Hermione taunted. "Yes. That is going to scare me sooooooo much. It's not as if you could increase my position on his wanted list, I bet I'm right up there with Harry."

"What is your problem, Beaver!?" Draco growled.

"You are."

"No. I'm not." Draco snarled. "You're pissed at someone else and are trying to take it out on me."

"Like you're not doing the same?"

"I haven't done anything to you yet!"

"You're holding a wand to my neck and have me held against a wall." She stated.

"Like you didn't do that in third year?" Hermione stuck out her tongue at him. He rolled his eyes. "So bloody immature."

"Because you're not? And don't say bloody, you sound like a Weasley and the next thing you know you'll be worse off than the Weasel."

"So that's who you're pissed at." Draco mused. "He finally snog Brown? Merlin, did you not see that coming from a mile away? He's been ogling her for ages."

Hermione glared at him and tried to turn this back on him. "The threat of death doesn't suit you well. Your taunts don't hit nearly as much. Is it because your precious lord is going to kill you if you don't finish whatever despicable task he has set for you?"

Draco pushed his wand into the skin of her neck and tried to crush her a bit more against the wall. "What do you know about that?" He snarled.

Hermione sneered at him. "Nothing much. Only that you're failing."

"Who said I was failing?" His lip curled up.

"Your hairs a mess, your eyes are blood shot and you have bags around them. You didn't play Quidditch today because you were _sick_. You obviously haven't succeeded because if you had you wouldn't be so damn irritated."

"Maybe I'm just irritated when I'm around you." Draco gritted through his teeth.

"Or maybe you're trying to distract yourself by being irritated at me!" Hermione responded, her voice rising.

"It's not like I was doing anything you weren't doing! You're taking your anger for the Weasel out on me!" Draco started shouting.

"Well, I guess we both need distractions!" Hermione shouted back.

She glared at him, his face mere millimetres away. Before either of them could come to their senses or actually engage their brains, their lips crashed into the other, meeting each other in the middle so neither could tell who leaned in first. They quickly deepened the kiss, both of them fighting for dominance after Draco bit on Hermione's lips.

When they stopped to breathe, Draco leant on Hermione's forehead. "I can think of something much more distracting that we can do." He gasped.

"I need all the distractions I can get." Hermione replied, just as short of breath as he was.

Draco captured her lips with his again and lifted her up so she had to wrap her legs around his waist. They didn't tear apart, even as Draco started to walk the few metres towards the entrance of the Room of Requirement. He had walked to that room so many times before he could have done it in his sleep. He leant his back against the door when it appeared and pushed it open. Neither of them paid any attention to the room around them as they focused on ripping each other's clothes off and distracting themselves from their problems by lowering themselves onto the large bed that was conveniently placed in the room.


	3. Waking Up

**All rights to J. K. Rowling**

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Hermione's eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim light that was coming from the fireplace in one of the corners of the room. She blinked a couple of times before focusing on the room around her. The walls were forest green, the carpet a similar colour, and there were two sofas situated in front of the flames. Definitely not the Gryffindor dormitories or common room then, she thought, not awake enough to register that would mean something was wrong. She closed her eyes, welcoming a bit more sleep as her whole body ached for no apparent reason. She heard someone groan, and that's when it dawned on her. Her eyes snapped open in horror as she quickly span around and found her face, once again, millimetres away from the face of Draco Malfoy.

"Shit." He said when he noticed her.

"You got that right." She said dryly, still facing him.

"Although the sex wasn't bad, Granger. I doubted you'd be good in the sack, looks like I was wrong." He smirked at her, as he propped himself up with his arm.

She blushed a bright red. "Unfortunately, I already heard about your _fabulous_ reputation." She sneered slightly. "I've got to say I was disappointed by the performance of the famous Slytherin Sex God."

"What?" Draco's mouth opened in shock. "I highly doubt anybody would ever be able to top the sex you had with ME." He said rather indignantly.

Hermione froze. The enormity of they had done last night finally registering in her brain. She sat up quickly, making sure the thin silk sheet clung to her. "Crap. Crap. Crap." She muttered to herself.

"What's wrong?" Draco raised an eyebrow. "I don't have any nasty diseases, if that's your problem."

"I had SEX with YOU!" Hermione cried out. "That's what's wrong! Why did we do that? Why did I do that?"

"I think we both wanted distractions."

Hermione put her head in her hands. "Well consider me officially distracted." Her words came out mumbled. "I won't be able to think straight for the rest of my life! I'll be doomed to have the images of last night forever in my head."

"That memorable, huh?" Draco smirked.

"One doesn't forget their first time." Hermione said forlornly.

"You're a virgin?!" Draco stared at her, wide eyed.

"I was. Till last night." Hermione groaned and flung herself backwards so she was staring at the tester (canopy) of the four-poster bed. "I can't believe I lost my virginity to Draco Malfoy." She screwed up her face in disappointment.

"At least I was a guaranteed good experience." Hermione glared at him. Draco continued to look at her, rather smug with himself. He had managed to get prude know-it-all Granger to lose it to him and suck him off.

She turned to look at him. "No one can know." She said very seriously.

Draco scoffed. "As if I'd want anybody to know I had sex with the Mudblood Beaver." He admitted to himself that Hermione wasn't actually bad looking, her teeth had shrunk quite considerably and her hair wasn't nearly as bushy as it used to be. All things considered, she was actually quite attractive. But he'd never admit it out loud. He shuddered thinking of what would happen if others found out he had slept with her. "I'd never hear the end of it, and I'd never be able to get a girl to sleep with me."

"Good. So we in agreement?" She asked.

Draco ignored her and continued his rambled ranting. "I mean can you imagine the Sex God of the school not being able to get a girl to have sex with him? My reputation would sink! Gone! Kaput!"

"Malfoy!"

"Sorry what?"

"Are we in agreement that no one can know?"

"Yes."

"Good." She got up, dragging the covers with her to cover herself. Draco got hold of them and yanked them back to him, leaving Hermione with barely anything. She shrieked. "What was that for?! I need them back!"

"I need to cover myself!" He replied.

"I need to cover myself as well! You have pillows that you can use to cover... that!"

"It's nothing I haven't seen before." He winked at her. "You let me feel and bite every inch of you last night."

She glared at him as she pulled on the sheets hard. Leaving him with nothing. She looked at her arms, legs and what she could see of her torso, frowning. "You're a bit of a vampire. You know that?"

"Me!? You mean you! I'm just as covered in love bites as you are!" He gestured at himself. "I mean look at me!"

"I'm trying really hard not to." Hermione said as she started gathering her clothes that were strewn across the room. When she had put them back on and had calmed her hair a bit, she started walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Draco asked. "It's 5:30 am on a Sunday."

"To my dorm. I need to brush my teeth and get the taste of semen out of my mouth." She scrunched up her nose in disgust. "Also to get changed and probably burn these clothes."

"Still doesn't explain why you're doing it so early. All the other girls normally insist on some more playing and don't want to leave until much later."

"I'm not like other girls." Hermione gritted out. "And I want to get back before anyone notices I'm still in yesterday's clothes. Maybe catch up on the sleep I didn't get last night." She looked at him one last time, lying there on the bed, before opening the door. "Goodbye Malfoy." And she disappeared from his sight.


	4. The Morning After

**All rights to J. K. Rowling**

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Hermione wound her way through the castle, pausing every so often to make sure there wasn't another student about to round the corner and spot her. When she finally reached the portrait of the Fat Lady she thought she'd leap and shriek for joy, but decided that would be a rather bad idea.

"Baubles." She said to the Fat Lady, as soon as there was a gap in the portrait hole Hermione darted through it, muttering a "Thank you" as she went.

She sprinted as fast as she could through the common room, not wanting anyone to be able to pick up on the fact that she hadn't changed and that she had been out all night, and dashed up the steps to her dorm without making too much noise. She stopped at the door of her dorm and bent over, catching her breath, before opening the door as quietly as she could and tiptoeing to her bed. Once on the bed, she closed the curtains and reached under her pillow to grab her pyjamas, which she then changed into. She peaked her head out of her curtains to check if the coast was clear before making her way over to the loo.

Once the door had closed she slumped against it and rubbed her eyes, before trying to pinch herself, hoping and praying that this was a dream. A very messed up dream. No such luck. All it had managed to accomplish was making her arm slightly redder. After a couple of minutes of just sitting there, Hermione got up and walked over to the sink, she got her toothbrush and toothpaste out, lifted her arm and... scrubbed her teeth like there was no tomorrow. She wanted every bit of evidence on him gone. When she decided her mouth was appropriately clean she started washing her face, but she decided that she felt too disgusting. Stripping down she threw herself into the shower and blasted herself with scolding hot water, hoping that it would burn away any trace of him and melt any hint of her sins. She felt filthy. She rubbed herself raw and even then still wasn't happy, as the love bites he left were still obvious.

Eventually, Hermione got out of the shower, dried herself off and put her pyjamas back on, before walking out of the loo and into the dorm. She was quite surprised by what greeted her on the other side of the dorm.

"Took you long enough." Parvati complained. "I bet there's no hot water left."

"You know that isn't true, Parvati." Hermione replied, thankful that her pyjamas were long-sleeved and had a collar that hid the bites on her neck. "Hogwarts has an endless supply of hot water. And besides, I wasn't in there very long." Although, she was confused as to why the girls were up before 8:30 on a weekend.

"You've been in there for at least 45 minutes, Hermione!" Lavender complained. "You don't honestly expect us to be able to pull ourselves together and look perfect before breakfast now, do you? I mean we only have 45 minutes!"

"What? Breakfast ends at 10:30, it's only 6:30 or something..." Hermione trailed off at the furious expressions on their faces.

"Hermione, it's 9:15." Lavender narrowed her eyes at her. "Did you do this so I wouldn't look pretty and perfect for Won-Won? Are you trying to steal him from me!?" She shrieked.

"Dear Merlin, no." Hermione rubbed her ear, trying to sooth it. "I'm not going to try and steal him from you. You can keep him." Lavender glared at her suspiciously. Hermione rolled her eyes at this and pushed past both of them, made her way to the bottom of her bed to open her chest and got out a random set of clothes that she would wear today. She didn't feel the need to impress anyone. The person she'd had a crush on had gone and snogged himself another girl, and quite frankly she was full of so much self-loathing that she didn't think she deserved to have any boy pay her any attention. Although, having McLaggen pay her attention was probably a much worse punishment... she probably deserved that torture.

Once ready, she made her way down to the Great Hall, but didn't sit in her usual place next to Harry and Ron. No, she went all the way to the other end of the table and piled a very unappealing breakfast onto her plate; it contrasted quite significantly to the meals around her. Hermione picked up her spoon and started toying with her food, it really did look rather disgusting, something that could be described as an even worse substitute for gruel. After making no attempt to put the food in her mouth, she finally raised the spoon and swallowed the horrible substance; her reason for finally eating was not because she was a daring Gryffindor (the reason most Gryffindors tried it), more to do with punishment and making her day thoroughly unpleasant.

"Hi Hermione." A voice called from behind her. She turned around and guilt filled her to the brim. Harry looked down at her sadly. "What are you doing sitting all the way down here? I know that your Grandfather died, and I'm sorry that happened, but surely you'd want comfort from your friends instead of solitude?"

Hermione didn't answer, she just turned back around and stared at her food, unable to look at him without feeling even more shameful. At his friend's lack of reply, Harry frowned as he sighed sadly and went back to where Ron was, which also happened to be were Lavender was.

"Why isn't Hermione coming over?" Ron asked between a number of mouthfuls.

Harry shook his head. "I don't know, she didn't speak. Maybe you could try talking to her." Harry suggested. "After you poked fun at yesterday, she may feel better to be reassured that both her best friends are on her side." He paused. "Try and convince her to come to Hogsmede with us." He added.

Ron got up and walked over to Hermione, much to Lavender's annoyance. "If she doesn't want to come over, Won-Won shouldn't have to make her come over." She pouted, feeling suddenly very threatened. Harry raised an eyebrow at this, but did not comment. If Lavender wanted to feel insecure, it wasn't his place to do anything about it, although it would make Ron's love life a bit more frustrating for him because insecure girlfriends were clingy girlfriends. And those were never good things.

Ron tapped Hermione on the shoulder. "Don't you get that silence means 'go away'?" Hermione snarled and frowned as she swivelled round. Her snarl became a hard glare when she saw it was Ron, instead of Harry.

"Don't know what you're annoyed at me for." Ron said defensively when he noticed her facial expression. "But I just wanted to say that... both Harry and I are here... to... um... help you... grieve... yeah. To help you grieve. You... um don't need... to shut us out."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "I'll grieve however I want, thank you." She responded sharply, before she stood up and walked over to doors of the Great Hall. As she went through them, her shoulder collided with another's.

"Watch it, Ferret." She hissed. "Your vile, arrogant, pompous, idiotic, brattish, crackbrained, pureblood self wouldn't-"

Draco scowled at her. "Mind your mouth, Mudblood." He retorted. "I could say just as many unpleasant things about you. And they would all hit a nerve." He threatened.

"I'd like to see you try." She glared at him. "Your only insults seem to be 'beaver' and 'mudblood'. That's all you've managed to come up with in all the years you've known me. If you were to try and hit a nerve, I'm afraid you'd have to use that ferret size brain of yours. Which would be impossible as your skull is hollow and I don't think your brain is in your arse either. It seems to be non-existent." She smirked before striding away, not looking back and leaving behind a hatred-radiating and embarrassed Malfoy.

Malfoy's jaw locked as he stared angrily at the retreating brunette. He was going to make sure she ate her words, he thought, even if it was the last thing he'd do.


	5. Slughorn's Party

Hermione spent the next however many weeks it was until Slughorn's party avoiding Draco Malfoy like the she would the plague. She and Ron were most definitely not on speaking terms, not only was she jealous of his relationship with Lavender, therefore making her more short tempered, but he was still pissed at her for the bird attack. That being said, she decided that she shouldn't really feel disgusted at Ron's and Lavender's relationship as she had done a much more vile thing. She could feel like her eyes had been violated by the constant snogging show the two put on, but she did not allow herself to be disgusted by their relationship. Unfortunately, Hermione did not have as much self-control as she thought. She truly was thoroughly disgusted.

She still talked to Harry, but she tried to keep the conversations and possibilities for conversations short, excuses included a busy timetable and refusing to be in the common room at the same time as Ron. Therefore making it very difficult for Harry to spend time with her. She knew she should feel bad about it, and she liked to think that she did, as both she and Ron were making this very difficult for Harry. But deep down, she could feel herself laughing at Harry, who was attempting very hard to spend time with his two best friends. She knew she shouldn't find it funny, but she did, and that was slightly worrying.

She also found herself spending more time with Luna, as she wasn't holed up in the Gryffindor common room everyday anymore. She was a great comfort when Hermione would feel sad, lonely, rejected, embarrassed and isolated. Exactly the kind of person you want to be by your side when a former friend of yours cruelly impersonates you in the middle of Transfiguration class.

Hermione stood in front of the mirror and frowned at herself. "I can't believe your doing this." She scolded herself quietly. "I can't believe you let your jealousy drive you this far... drive you to McLaggen." She scrunched up her face and rubbed her eyes, before looking herself once over. She was wearing a peach dress, her hair was resting on her shoulders and she had the bare minimum of make-up on, consisting only of mascara. She decided she looked acceptable and headed downstairs to the common room, secretly hoping that McLaggen would not show up, she was disappointed.

"Hello Hermione." McLaggen greeted her.

"Hello McLaggen." Hermione responded, not sounding enthusiastic at all.

"What's with the surnames, Hermione? We're going on a date. Please call me Cormac." He wiggled his eyebrows at her. She groaned internally.

"Sorry _Cormac_. Shall we get going?"

"Much better." He said as he started steering her out of the common room. "Now, have I ever told you about the time I was playing Quidditch and saved a goal using nothing but the wind from my broom? I was going so fast, the wind made the quaffle turn and go in a different direction..." Hermione drowned out the rest of what he was saying, she really couldn't be less interested, but she put on a smile and nodded absentmindedly. She did, however, notice Ron glaring at her and McLaggen out of the corner of her eye whilst Lavender was trying desperately to direct his attention at her, making Hermione smirk a bit.

They walked down the various corridors, and Hermione really was regretting her choice of McLaggen over Zacharias Smith. McLaggen had no subject of conversation that was interesting, and everything he talked about either seemed to be about him, Quidditch or both. Hermione's nightmare, she really couldn't care less about Quidditch. Hermione was relieved when they finally reached Slughorn's party, at least there would be some relatively interesting conversations.

"Oh! People!" She announced, interrupting one of McLaggen's many tales of his keeper skills, and dragged him towards the throng of people. "Hello Professor!" She cried happily, anything was better than just talking to McLaggen.

"Oh, hello Miss Granger." Professor Slughorn responded. "Have you just arrived?" Hermione and McLaggen nodded. Slughorn chuckled and clapped his hands gleefully. "Well, I have just the people you might want to talk to, especially you Mr McLaggen." Hermione's smile faded slightly as she followed Professor towards a group of people she thought she recognised from one of Ron's Quidditch collections. "Ah, here we are. Mr McLaggen I think you already know who these people are. I'll leave you to it." He said with a wink, before he walked off towards Harry, who had just come in with Luna.

McLaggen blinked a few times at the people in front of him, before composing himself and sticking out a hand for each of them to shake. "Cormac McLaggen, it truly is an honour to meet you, I've been to many of your games and I must say your technique on a broom is truly magnificent."

Hermione just smiled at the Quidditch team in front of her, she really had no interest in knowing any of their names, so once again she tuned out of the conversation she was supposed to be involved in. Eventually McLaggen stopped talking to them and led Hermione towards the edge of the room. Hermione was very confused as to why McLaggen was grinning like an idiot until she looked up. Mistletoe.

"Cormac, I really don't th-" She was cut off when his lips came crashing down on hers. She couldn't help but compare him to Malfoy. McLaggen's lips were rough and his kissing harsh, whilst Malfoy's lips were soft and his kissing was passionate instead of harsh. Hermione didn't try to push him off, she thought if he had his one kiss he'd be satisfied.

When he finally pulled back he smirked at her, which really wasn't a good facial expression on him. "I bet that was the best kiss of your life. I must say, you're pretty good too, but I bet I could teach you a lot more." He wiggled his eyebrows at her and leaned down for another kiss. He was slightly surprised to find Hermione's palm instead of her lips.

"Sorry, but I really need the loo." She flashed him a small smile before running off, not giving him a chance to object. As she disappeared behind two members of the Weird Sisters, she could hear someone call out her name. She sighed in relief when she realised it was Harry and not McLaggen. "Harry! There you are, thank goodness! Hi, Luna!"

"What's happened to you?" Harry asked, Hermione looked down at her attire to see what he was talking about and realised that she looked like she had just fought her way out of a thicket of Devil's Snare.

"Oh, I've just escaped - I mean, I've just left Cormac... under the mistletoe."

"Serves you right for coming with him." Harry told her severely.

"I thought he'd annoy Ron the most, I debated for a while about Zacharias Smith, but I thought, on the whole-"

"You considered Smith?" Harry said, revolted.

"Yes, I did, and I'm starting to wish I'd chosen him, McLaggen makes Grawp look like a gentleman. Let's go this way, we'll be able to see him coming, he so tall..." Hermione trailed off as she disappeared into the crowd again, making her way to the other side of the room. She realised too late that Professor Trelawney was standing there alone, and was really not in the mood to talk to the crazy witch, so she let Luna deal with her.

At some point, Harry managed to get closer to Hermione, while Professor Trelawney was furiously criticising Firenze. "Let's get something straight. Are you planning to tell Ron that you interfered at Keeper tryouts?"

"Do you really think I'd stoop that low?"

"Hermione, if you can ask out McLaggen-"

"There's a difference. I've got no plans to tell Ron anything about what might, and might not, have happened at Keeper tryouts."

"Good, because he'll fall apart again, and we'll lose the next match-"

"Quidditch!" Hermione interrupted angrily. "Is that all boys care about? Cormac hasn't asked me one single question about myself, no, I've been treated to 'A Hundred Great Saves Made By Cormac McLaggen' nonstop ever since- Oh no, here he comes!" Hermione moved fast towards some curtains near the entrance of the room.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she leant against the wall behind her. That relief was short lived as the curtain moved and Draco Malfoy walked through the opening he had made.

"Ah, Mudblood. I can only think of what naughty things you could be getting up to behind this curtain, out of everybody's view."

"Shove off, Ferret." She hissed at him. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Would it be too far of a reach to say I was invited?" Hermione glared at him. He rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm hiding from Filch, he found me wondering in an upstairs corridor and is after me."

Hermione sneered at him. "Still no luck with your task then?"

It was Malfoy's turn to glare at her. "No." He turned, but paused halfway and turned to face her with a smirk on his face. "You know, I could use some help with my task. I wonder if there's anybody here smart enough to get me out of my predicament?" He tapped his chin mockingly and turned to Hermione with an innocent smile plastered to his face, and a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I wonder if the Brightest Witch of Her Age could help me...?"

"Why would I help you?" Hermione looked at him disgusted.

"Well, I highly doubt you would want any of your friends to know that you slept with me."

Hermione's eyes widened. "You wouldn't." She shook her head in disbelief. "You wouldn't risk your friends finding out you slept with the Mudblood. You said so yourself."

"But I wouldn't have to worry. Your friends wouldn't want anybody to know their best friend slept with the enemy. People would look at them differently as well. So I know they wouldn't tell anyone else. You'd just have to live with them hating you forever."

Hermione took in Malfoy's determined and confident look, and realised she couldn't risk it. Hermione let out a reluctant breath. "What do you want me to do?" She asked, her eyes trained on the floor.

"I want you to meet me in the library at 8 tomorrow evening."

Her head snapped up and she looked at him quizzically. "Why do you-"

"Research, Granger, and you're the best at it." He said as he walked backwards out of the curtains. Much to Hermione's delight, she saw that he had walked straight into the arms of Filch. "Get off me, you filthy old goat!" Malfoy cried out in annoyance, as Filch started dragging him by the ear towards whomever Filch thought would give Malfoy the most detention.

Hermione watched the scene with amusement, but as soon as it was over, her mind went back to what she had agreed to with Malfoy.


	6. Research With Malfoy

**All rights to J. K. Rowling**

* * *

Hermione yanked the chair out from underneath the table rather forcefully and rather ungracefully threw herself into it, crossing her arms and glaring furiously at the Malfoy boy sitting opposite her.

"Someone's a bit moody, aren't they?" Malfoy mused, raising an eyebrow at the raging girl.

"What on Earth do you need my help with, Malfoy? Because of you I've had to miss the train home!"

"Boo hoo." Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Just apparate out from Hogsmeade."

"Just apparate out from Hogsmeade." Hermione mimicked. "What else do you think I'm going to do?"

"Stay at Hogwarts over the holidays." He suggested.

"Unlike some people, Malfoy, my parents actually like having me at home for the holidays."

Malfoy narrowed his eyes at her. "It was my choice to stay here, Granger." After a beat, he then observed that Hermione had brought nothing with her. "Where are all your books?"

"You didn't tell me what we were looking at so I decided to not bring anything as most of the books I have would probably be useless, and well, they're already packed in my trunk." Hermione reasoned.

"You could have at least brought something!" Malfoy exclaimed. "A quill for example, or some parchment!"

"Can we get this over and done with?" Hermione picked off a stray hair from her jumper and tossed it aside. "What have you forced me to help you with?"

"I didn't force you, I merely suggested that it was in your best interests to help me." Malfoy smirked at her, while Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "Anyways... I need you to help me fix something."

"Fix something?" Hermione was taken aback, she was sure the research would involve a curse of some kind, or at least something evil and illegal.

"Yes."

"Is that it?"

"Yes."

"What do you need to fix?"

Malfoy paused, knowing that he should tell her because then she'd know how they need to fix it, but also wondering if the Dark Lord would punish him for telling her or giving her a hint to his plans.

"Well?" Hermione prompted.

"A vanishing cabinet."

"A vanishing cabinet?" Hermione asked, wondering what on earth the Dark Lord would need that fixed for.

"How many times do I have to say 'yes'?" Malfoy groaned.

"I'm just a bit surprised." Hermione defended. "I expected you needed help with curses or poisons and more illegal stuff."

"Whatever. I just need to fix this. Every time I've put something in the vanishing cabinet it gets trapped in the limbo between the two cabinets."

"Have you tried a simple mending spell?" Hermione asked.

"Of course I've tried it! Do I look like Weasel?" Malfoy asked, insulted. "I'm not one of the idiotic guys that you hang about with."

"Just double checking." Hermione raised her hands in surrender, not wanting to anger the Death Eater too much. "I'll see what I can find." Hermione slid off her seat and started to wander through the library, taking her sweet time looking for anything that could help Malfoy.

It was around 11 o'clock at night when Hermione finally made her way back towards Malfoy, only to find him fast asleep in the same seat he had been hours ago. She slammed a few books down in front of him, causing him to wake with a start.

"What?" Malfoy asked rather groggily. He rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times. "Have you found anything then?"

"Yes. No thanks to you however." Hermione replied.

"Well, what did you find?" Malfoy paid no attention to the comment Hermione had flung his way.

"I read through and skimmed several books, many of them being useless, to then find these four books." She indicated at the books she had slammed on the table. "They all seem to point to the same thing, which is to use Harmonia Nectere Passus, an incantation of a spell used to fix complicated magical objects and perfect its performance."

"Brilliant! I'll be done in no time." Malfoy looked very pleased and there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"Actually..." Hermione started, suddenly not really wanting to rain on his parade.

"What?" Malfoy groaned.

"It might take a bit longer than that. Harmonia Nectere Passus is a very complicated spell, and everything indicates that it requires tremendous and repeated efforts." Hermione explained. "Somehow I doubt you'll have the vanishing cabinet fixed before the end of the Christmas holidays. It'd be more likely to happen towards the end of the year."

"I'll live as long as it's done before the end of the year." Malfoy muttered bitterly, but Hermione still managed to catch it.

"Maybe I've missed something in these books. You might be able to find something to speed up the process." Hermione suggested.

"Why would you care if I got it done faster? You fight for the other side."

"I may fight for the other side, but you obviously don't want to be in this situation. Maybe call it a weird Gryffindor trait, a really weird mood, or perhaps a natural human emotion known as sympathy, but I pity you being in that situation, Malfoy. No one deserves to live in fear."

They were quite for a few minutes before Malfoy spoke up. "Whatever. You may leave now." Malfoy waved one of his hands in dismissal as he gathered up the books Hermione had collected and walked out of the library.

"What a git. I do all the work and then he leaves with it without so much as a thank you." Hermione said to herself as she made her way out of the library and towards the Gryffindor tower to collect her luggage.


	7. Back At The Grangers'

**All rights to J. K. Rowling**

* * *

As soon as Hermione had stepped out of the grounds of Hogwarts, she disapparated away to her parents house. Her mood had taken a massive flip from the anger and annoyance she felt at Malfoy to the excitement and joy of seeing her parents and celebrating the holidays. She was going to leave Malfoy, Ron and all the drama going on behind her, at Hogwarts.

"Ah!" A loud shriek was heard in the Granger house just as Hermione appeared.

Hermione opened her eyes and dropped her bags, alarmed. "Mum, are you alright?"

Mrs Granger clutched her heart and started laughing to herself. "Yes, dear, perfectly fine. That magic trick... um I think you called it apparition, just gave me shock, that's all." She shook her head and laughed a bit nervously. "It sounded as if a gun had gone off."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mum. I should have warned you and Dad that one of the traits of apparition is a quiet pop or a loud bang." Hermione went up and hugged her mum. "Sorry, sorry, sorry. Will you ever be able to forgive me?" Hermione drew back a bit and looked into her mum's eyes with a puppy dog pout on her face.

"It's just lovely to have you home, Hermione." Mrs Granger patted her daughter's cheeks affectionately. "Now you'd better tell your father you're here."

"Yes Mum." Hermione bounded up the stairs to her father's study and knocked on the door. "Knock knock"

"Yes?" A voice came from inside.

"Hello Dad."

"Hermione!" Mr Granger shot out from his seat and engulfed Hermione in a bone-crushing hug. "I'm so happy you're back. Every time you go off to Hogwarts is really for too long."

"Can't breathe." Hermione wheezed.

"Too bad. This is making up for all the hugs I missed." He only hugged her harder.

"I think you'd better let her go, James, or else she may faint." Hermione's mother stood at the doorway, leaning against the doorframe and chuckling softy.

"Yes, Moira." He let go, and placed a quick kiss on Hermione's forehead. "Welcome back, munchkin."

"Thanks, Dad." Hermione smiled up at her father.

"Dinner's ready." Moira asked. "Whose hungry?"

"I am!" Both Hermione and James said, their arms both raised in the air. Moira just turned and headed back downstairs to serve up.

Five minutes later, they were seated at the table and were happily eating the tasty classic meal of Spaghetti Bolognese.

"So Hermione," Moira started, "Why did you have to stay late a school?"

Hermione swallowed her mouthful and used her napkin to wipe her lips before she answered. "I was helping a... um... classmate with some research."

"Classmate?" James raised an eyebrow.

"Or was it a boy friend?" Moira giggled slightly.

"Boyfriend?" James looked a bit alarmed. His eyes then narrowed and his eyebrows furrowed. "Who is he? What makes him think he's good enough for my Hermione?"

Hermione's eyes widened. "No, Dad! Not a boyfriend." Hermione took a deep breath. "Yes it was a boy. But we're not even close to friends, the opposite even. We hate each other, have never been able to have one civil conversation in the all years I've known him."

"So why were you helping him with research?" Moira asked.

"We got paired together in class and we decided, very last minute, that it would be a good idea to do the research before the holidays rather than after the holidays, like everybody else."

"As long as he stays away from you and doesn't try a move on you, I'm happy." James grumbled.

Hermione's stomach clenched with guilt, but she would never and could never tell her parents about what she had done with Malfoy. It was what's best for her parents' emotions, and her own pride and dignity.

"After this project I'll make sure he stays far away from me, don't worry." Hermione reassured her father.

"Good."

The meal continued with lots of chatter and Hermione telling stories of what's happened at Hogwarts, however she left out all of the potential danger that Voldemort and his Death Eaters were causing. Soon they had all gone upstairs to bed after saying goodnight to each other, leaving the house quiet... except for the faint snores that could be heard coming from both Crookshanks and the loud ones that could be heard from Mr Granger.


	8. Drama Before Breakfast

**All rights to J. K. Rowling**

* * *

Hermione sat on the floor of the bathroom, with her head against the wall behind her and her legs out in front of her.

"Hermione, dear, are you alright?" Her mum's voice called through the door. "Breakfast is almost ready."

Hermione mustered a very feeble, "I'm fine, Mum. I'll be out in a minute."

However, Moira didn't believe any of it. She tried the door handle to find it locked. "Hermione, open up."

"I'm fine, Mum." Hermione insisted. There wasn't a reply, instead footsteps seemed to retreat away from the door. Hermione sighed in relief, but that relief was short lived as the footsteps came back about a minute later. A key jangled on the other side and seconds later the door swung open. "Mum!" Hermione cried out in annoyance. "What if I'd been indecent?"

"Oh pish posh." Moira waved her hand in dismissal. "I'm the woman who gave birth to you."

Hermione groaned. "Mum, I'm fine." She repeated.

"No you are not Hermione." Moira said sternly. "What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Hermione, you've been in here spewing your guts out everyday since you got here."

"Food poisoning?" Hermione tried weakly.

Moira crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes menacingly. "Are you saying that my cooking has been giving you food poisoning?" She asked, not believing a word coming out of her daughter's mouth.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to insult you..." Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Darling, what's wrong?" Moira asked softly, dropping the stern parent act.

"I don't know." Hermione burst into tears, causing Moira to sit down next to Hermione and cradle her. "I don't know what's happening to me."

"When did the vomiting start?"

"The morning before I arrived here." Hermione sniffled.

"So 12 days ago? Today being the 2nd of January."

"Do I really only have 4 days until school starts?" Hermione asked sadly.

Moira nodded. "Is it only vomiting?" She asked.

Hermione shook her head. "I have mood swings..."

"Anything else?"

"I have really weird, and I mean really really really weird, food cravings." Hermione admitted.

"Hermione..." Moira started nervously.

Hermione buried her head in her hands. "I know, Mum." She whispered. "I know what all the signs are pointing to, but I don't want it to be true."

"Do you really think you might be pregnant?" Hermione nodded miserably. Moira swallowed loudly. "Hermione, you do know that a... ummm... person of the opposite sex has to be involved for you to get pregnant, don't you?" Moira asked awkwardly.

"Of course! I'm not stupid!"

"I know you're not stupid." Moira paused. "You know it's possible this is just a weird hormonal thing."

"I slept with someone 2 months ago and have missed 2 periods, Mum. Somehow, I doubt this is just hormonal." Hermione said dryly. It is a severe understatement to say that Moira was somewhat surprised at Hermione's confession. "I know that wasn't something you wanted to hear... Sorry." Hermione apologised.

"Don't apologise, Hermione." Moira rubbed Hermione's back. "I'm just surprised that it would be me, of all people, having to deal with a pregnant daughter first. I mean you should hear of some of the things Roberta's daughter, Lucy, gets up to. Some of the things one hears are absolutely scandalous."

"And now I've joined the scandalous category." Hermione blinked back a few tears. "At least it helps that I'm at boarding school for the rest of the year. I won't be in any of the gossip circles here."

"Nonsense." Moira held Hermione's hand in her own and smiled sadly at her. She sniffed the air unexpectedly and gasped. "Oh! I can smell the bacon burning. We'll talk about this later." She gave Hermione a reassuring squeeze. "It'll all work out, you'll see."

Hermione nodded. "I'll be down in second, just need to clean up a bit first... and pull myself together."

"Okay, darling." Moira started towards the door.

"Oh Mum, I think we may need to change the washing up powder or something."

"Why?" Moira asked, puzzled.

"My bras seem to be shrinking." Hermione said guiltily.

Moira gave Hermione a pointed and knowing look as she raised an eyebrow. Hermione played with her hands uncertainly under her mother's look, but Moira then left, closing the door behind her.

Hermione pulled herself to her feet and braced herself against the sink, taking many deep breaths before running the tap to wash her face. "It'll all be fine." She said to herself.

A few minutes later, a loud "WHAT?" rang through the house, causing Hermione to cringe.

"Quiet James!" Moira admonished.

"I can be as loud as I want! My baby girl is now going down a path that is going to uproot all of her dreams!"

"Yes, but we need to be supportive and caring, instead of angry at the world!"

Hermione stepped out of the bathroom, and started walking silently down the stairs.

"I'll be supportive and caring, of course, but I can still be angry when she's not around!" James responded.

"I'm right behind you, Dad." Hermione gave a small wave when James whipped around. "Hi."

"Hermione..." James was at a loss for words.

"I'm just as angry and annoyed as you are. It's going to change everything at school and I'll have to give up my dreams at the Ministry to care for the baby-"

"You're going to keep it?" Moira asked. "Shouldn't we talk about this more?"

James put a hand on Moira's shoulder. "Knowing Hermione, she'd never to be able to get rid or give away the baby, especially once the little tyke is born." Hermione nodded in agreement.

"It's not in my nature to do something like that."

They stood in silence for a bit, Hermione craving bacon more and more as the seconds passed.

"You know you wouldn't have to give up your dreams at the Ministry." Moira said, causing Hermione's face to crinkle in confusion. Moira continued, "I could look after the baby or we could have a baby sitter whilst you're working."

"Really?" Hermione's eyes filled with hope. Moira nodded, resulting in Hermione flinging herself at her mother and hugging her in a tight embrace. "Thank you." She whispered, before her stomach grumbled embarrassingly loudly. Moira and James laughed. "Can we please have some breakfast now? The bacon is calling to me."

Moira nodded, leading them towards the breakfast table.


	9. An Unexpected Visit

**All rights to J. K. Rowling**

* * *

Just as Hermione was finishing doing the dishes after a scrumptious breakfast of bacon and eggs, the doorbell rang.

"Coming!" Hermione shouted out, drying her hands on the tea towel. She made her way over to the front door, but before she could open it, it flew open. "Eeek!" Hermione whipped out her wand in defence.

"How long does it take to open a door?" A voice drawled as they stepped into the house.

Hermione's eyes widened as her eyes focused on the person. "Jax!" She exclaimed.

"What's with the weird looking chopstick?"

"Nothing." Hermione had only just managed to put her wand back into her pocket, when she was engulfed in a massive hug.

"It's good to see you again, 'Mione."

"You too." Hermione returned the hug. "What are you doing here though? You live on the opposite side of London and we might not have even been in!"

"Is it too hard to believe that I just really wanted to see my best friend, who spends most of her time at an amazing boarding school that didn't even think about admitting me."

Hermione led them further into the house, leading them passed the sitting room, where her mother was.

"Hi Moira." Jax said as they passed.

Moira looked up in surprise. "Hello Jacqueline. Didn't expect to see you here."

"I was in the neighbourhood and thought I'd drop by." Jax replied. Moira smiled at the two girls before returning to her book.

Hermione walked up the stairs and opened the door to her bedroom; she let Jax go in first and closed the door behind her.

"You were in the neighbourhood huh?" Hermione narrowed her eyes at Jax. "Spill."

"You know Lucy?" Jax started.

"Yes." Hermione replied. "Who do you think has been my neighbour since I was 2?"

"Well..." Jax bit her lips. "Let's just say she needed to be taught a lesson."

"What did you do?"

"I swapped out her hair-lightening shampoo for something a bit more of the green shade and may have replaced her face cream with something that'll make her break out in spots, warts and boils." Jax smiled mischievously. "Both are of my invention... and she won't be able to get rid of either."

"How-" Hermione started before Jax cut her off.

"I seem to have a knack for chemistry."

"Now, how did you manage to place those things in her room?"

"Lucy is known for leaving her bedroom window open for boys to come and go."

"And you passed as a boy, did you?" Hermione raised an eyebrow sceptically.

"Please, with this body?" Jax gestured to her curves, highlighting that she'd never be able to get away with being a boy. "No, she wasn't home and obviously didn't close the window." Jax looked Hermione up and down. "Speaking of bodies, what is going on with yours?"

"What?" Hermione asked in confusion.

"You've never had obvious curves. Now look at you!"

For Hermione, the walls seemed to get closer and closer, and her breathing got shallower. She had only just found out she was pregnant, she wasn't ready to tell anybody but her parents.

"Hermione?" Jax asked uncertainly. "What's going on?"

"Why'd you do it to Lucy?" Hermione asked hurriedly. She took a calming breath to continue. "I mean I know she's loose but what'd she do to you?"

"You mean apart from always being a bitch?" Jax asked, letting Hermione's sudden change in subject slide. Hermione nodded. "As you said she's always throwing herself at boys and they usually oblige," Jax's eyes darkened, "Including my man."

"You have a man?" Hermione's eyes were wide. "Why didn't you tell me? What's his name?"

"Miles. And he doesn't know he's my man..." Jax sighed. "And now he's gone and got together with Lucy."

"Seems like you and I are in the same boat?" Jax raised a questioning eyebrow. "There's a guy at my school, Ron, who I really like but he's now dating one of my roommates." Hermione explained sadly.

"The girl a bitch too?"

"Not exactly. She just isn't the most sensible and serious of girls."

"So the opposite of you."

Hermione nodded. "It drives me insane and it makes me so angry. I've been his best friend since we were 11, well actually I was 12, and he pays me next to no attention. Now all he ever does is snogs Lavender."

"Sucks to be us, huh?"

"You have no idea." Hermione muttered quietly.

They sat there in silence for a bit before Jax noticed the time. "'Mione I'm really sorry, but Mum will be all everything but short of furious if I miss this lunch."

"It's fine." Hermione stood up and then helped Jax up. They started walking down the stairs to the front door. "What's so important about it?"

"New neighbours moved in, Mum's trying to welcome them to the community... also she's trying to set me up with their son." Jax opened the front door.

Hermione grimaced. "Well, you won't want to keep your mum waiting!" Hermione wrapped her arms around Jax in a hug. "Bye Jax, I'll probably see you when I'm back for the summer holidays."

"Bye 'Mione." Jax started to walk away, but just as Hermione was about to close the door she heard Jax call out, "Don't think you avoided my questions earlier, 'Mione! I'll find out what's going on!"

"I hope not." Hermione whispered, as she closed the door. "I can't let anyone find out."


	10. An Interesting Welcome Back To School

**All rights to J. K. Rowling**

* * *

"You've got everything you need, Hermione?" Moira brushed a hair out of Hermione's face, doing the common motherly action of last minute fussing.

"Yes, Mum." Hermione reassured her.

"And you're sure you can't go back later today? Why do you have to go now?" Moira asked.

"Sorry, but I need to research something before school starts. And the library at Hogwarts is the best place to do that." Hermione smiled a bit, nostalgic of her favourite place in the world.

"And what are you going to do about-"

"I'll make sure it doesn't affect my schoolwork."

"Good. You can't let the baby uproot your life." Moira took Hermione's hands. "Hermione, if anyone says anything nasty when people find out, don't listen to them."

"Don't worry, they won't find out."

"How-" Moira frowned, looking very confused.

"Magic." Hermione grinned at her mother mischievously.

"Oh, I should have known." Moira shook her head a little, smiling slightly to herself. "Even if you don't manage to hide it, all they'll be able to do is bite you with their words."

Hermione shook her head. "Or worse, expelled."

Moira sighed. "Just make sure it's nothing dangerous." Hermione lifted her head to protest, but Moira continued before Hermione could get out a word. "I don't care if what you have to say is that magic isn't dangerous. I know there's something dangerous going on in your world that you're not telling me about."

"It's better if you don't know."

"That's not the kind of response that instils confidence, Hermione."

"I know, but it's the truth." Hermione paused. "Now I really must be going or else I won't have time to do any research before the others arrive." Hermione gave her mother a quick hug and peck on the cheek. "Give my love to Dad!"

"Yes, I'm sorry he had to go into the office. Have fun, Hermione."

Hermione stepped into the fireplace, thankfully it had already been connected to the flu network. "Bye Mum!" Hermione grabbed a handful of floo powder. "Hogwarts!" Flames engulfed Hermione, spinning her until she landed in the fireplace in McGonagall's office. "Morning Professor" Hermione smiled at the head of Gryffindor house.

"Morning Hermione. I hope you had a nice holiday." Professor McGonagall smiled at the young Gryffindor.

"It was certainly... surprising and informative." McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "It's nothing." Hermione said, noticing the look sent her way. "It was lovely to see you again, but I'm afraid the library is calling my attention." Hermione started towards the door.

McGonagall chuckled. "Enjoy yourself, my dear." But Hermione was already out the door.

Hermione practically flew through the corridors, determined to find something to hide her pregnancy once it became obvious. Hermione was so invested in her brewing thoughts that she didn't notice the person in front until they were both sprawled across the floor.

"Ooof." The wind was knocked out of Hermione's lungs.

"Honestly, Granger, we'd got to stop meeting like this." Malfoy exclaimed as he picked himself off the floor. "Or else you might find yourself in my bed again."

"Your bed? It was neither your bed nor my bed. It was simply a bed."

"Fine then, you might yourself in a bed with me again." Malfoy raised an eyebrow.

"You have nothing to fear, Malfoy... at least, nothing to fear from me." Hermione sneered. "I'll make it my life's mission to ensure that I never find myself in another bed with you."

"I don't know if I'd find that disappointing or the best news I've ever heard." Malfoy smirked. "After all, you were quite good."

Hermione bristled. "Could we please just forget about the whole ordeal? Or at least ignore that it was with each other."

"What? Would you prefer it if it was the Weasel?"

"I don't see why you keep on bringing it up, especially in a reasonably civil manner. I'm the mudblood after all."

Draco sneered. "Yes, you are the mudblood. And you're also The Boy Who Lived's best friend."

"Thinking about switching sides? Cosying up? For protection?" Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Dear me, your task must be going badly."

Malfoy gritted his teeth, but put his smirk upon his face a second later. "I could be cosying up for secrets... No, as much as I would love to get Potter's dirtiest and darkest secrets to use against him, that would require more time than I have. Being his best friend makes you good leverage against Pothead. And because of that unexpected night a few months ago, I have leverage against you."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Under the correct circumstances, I would."

"I won't be used against Harry, over my dead body."

"That can be arranged." Malfoy stepped forwards.

"Don't come near me!" Hermione jumped back, grabbing her wand from her pocket.

Malfoy to a quick stride forward, closing the distance between them so fast, Hermione had no time to jump back. He grabbed Hermione's chin and ignored her wand, which was now digging into his chest. "You feel that fear?" He hissed. "Remember that feeling of your heart thumping in your chest, threatening to break your ribs. Remember that strain as the skin around your eyes stretches whilst your eyes widen, revealing to you the horror of the reality you're in. Your retinas burning at the knowledge. Remember the undoubtable defeat, whether it lasts a second or longer, as your body shakes and refuses to listen to your brain. That fear, Granger, is something you should feel and remember every time you go up against, or even think, of the Dark Lord and his followers."

Hermione mustered up as much Gryffindor courage as she possible could and spat in his face. "That will never happen."

"I'm included in that list, Mudblood. And, oh, you should be very afraid of me. For every time you put my life at risk - whether it be leaking something that might get back to the Dark Lord or a task from the Order of the Pigeons -, if you defy me or maybe even annoy me; don't think for a second I won't use you against your precious Harry." Malfoy seethed.

Hermione's eyes burned with challenge, but she conceded, allowing a loud gulp to be heard from one end of the corridor to the other. "Understood, Malfoy. I won't reveal anything that might anger you, result in your torture or your early departure from this world."

"Good." Malfoy released her and started walking towards the dungeons.

Hermione took a moment to recompose herself, but then proceeded towards the library, hugging herself as she went, a means to warm, comfort and protect herself.

"Well, that 0.000001% chance of me telling him about the baby has disappeared." She thought darkly to herself, whilst also wondering if the baby (despite it being very early on in the pregnancy) would take any characteristics from its loathsome father. She certainly hoped not.


	11. Research

**All rights to J. K. Rowling**

* * *

Hermione was practically ecstatic that the library was empty when she walked through the large doors, though she was not surprised. Very few students had stayed at school over the holidays and everybody who was in the school was now too busy saying hello to those returning. This all meant that Hermione had a very quite place to focus her mind and no one around to get suspicious at the subject she would be looking at.

After setting her bags down next to a table in a hidden corner of the library Hermione set off, looking very determined, to the section of the library that was most likely to have any information about pregnancies. For the next 2 hours, Hermione spent her time going back and forth between her table and the shelves, levitating and carrying books as she went. By the end of it, she was rather irritated. She had found absolutely nothing that would help her hide her pregnancy. She went back to the shelves and stared up at them, skimming the rows for anything she hadn't read yet.

"Ugh!" She threw her hands up in frustration and then started to claw at her face, desperately trying to think of anything that might have a link.

The following hours saw Hermione reading anything from 'Witches' Problems' to 'How To Hide Your Kidnap Victim'. She ended up missing lunch and by about 3 pm she had almost given up entirely. She made her way over to an area of what she thought was the most dreaded of books, although they could be useful when balls occurred; Women's Beauty.

"I don't know how my mind came to the conclusion that this would be useful." Hermione muttered to herself after finishing skimming through a book about keeping pores open and clean. She stood up and made her way back to the selves with the book, eyes darting over the titles of books to find the opening to return the book to. Her eyes froze over one particular book. From its place in the shelf, Hermione could see that it had rather a grand spine, decorated with vines of gold and silver. The elegant writing reading 'A Pureblood Woman's Enchiridion To Creating The Perfect Illusion'. Hermione eyed the book before sighing. "Better than nothing." She said to herself as she pulled the book out and walked back to her desk.

Hermione's eyes scanned the contents page as she sat down, almost missing the chair completely as she noticed a chapter about body shapes. Frantically she turned the pages to that chapter and began to read it, almost entranced with the idea of having found a solution.

 _How To Have The Appearance Of A Perfect Body_

 _It is well known that ladies, be they married or single, are constantly being judged for their body. Some may take this in stride, whilst others are not so sure of themselves. But those with bodies that are anything less than perfect need to be fixed, not only to increase self confidence but also to parade their new flawless elegance. What sort of Pureblood woman shows anything but elegance and confidence?_

Hermione scowled at the pages. There was nothing wrong with being imperfect.

 _In 1764, a spell was developed by Rosalia Malfoy, daughter of Lucien Nott and wife of Randolf Malfoy, to create the illusion of a body type that was requested by the user. Rosalia was and still is a model for all Pureblood women to follow, flawless in every aspect of herself and an expert in the art of keeping house. The very definition of a perfect society wife. To add to her abilities, she was also a master at charms, something for which we are very grateful for as she came up with 95% of beauty charms every respectable lady uses. These charms were not created for herself, but were instead meant to help improve her unfortunate sister-in-law Clarissa Nott, daughter of Geoffrey Crabbe and wife of Quinn Nott (Rosalia's older brother), whose features were not something to be praised._

 _The spell developed is to be applied to an item of clothing, simply recite the incantation "Abscondas Mea Abominatio Corporis" and use your wand to draw an hourglass, whilst picturing the shape of the body you want. The clothing that was subject to the spell will not change size; instead it will fit over your imperfect body but present an illusion of a perfect body. Therefore hiding any unfortunate bumps or deformities. The spell will last until "Finite Incantatem" is cast._

 _The item of clothing does not have to be for the body part that requires a mask. For example, you could cast the spell on your lingerie and it would still affect your arms or stomach._

 _Warning: it has been known that on very rare occasions the spell's illusion can become a permanent reality on the user. However, as Pureblood women we should strive towards the perfect body, so we should therefore view this as a blessing and not a curse._

Hermione sighed in relief, she had found the answer to her problems. She may have found it in what she thought to be a most revolting book, but she had found it nonetheless. She took out a small notebook from her bag and jotted down short but important notes about the spell before returning everything to their proper place and heading up to the Gryffindor Common Room with her bags in tow. Once unpacking her bags, Hermione put on her cloak, hat and gloves, and decided to go and say hello to Hagrid.

At around 5:30 pm, Hermione said goodbye to Hagrid and Witherwings (Buckbeak), and made her way back to the common room, to then be greeted by the very gratifying scene of Ron failing to get past the Fat Lady. She walked up to Harry and Ginny, ignoring Ron completely, and helped them enter the portrait hole. Talking with Harry was pleasant enough, however, Hermione started to find it much harder and rather nerve-wracking when he started to talk about Malfoy and Voldemort's plans. Hermione had to choose her words carefully, protecting Malfoy but also saying enough that Harry didn't get suspicious.

"Oh Won-Won!" Lavender giggled loudly.

In reality, it was probably a blessing in disguise when Lavender and Ron started being rather loud as they started to feel each other up and snog. But in the moment, Hermione thought it anything but. She stood up rather suddenly, her stomach churning.

"Excuse me Harry, but I think I'm going to Vom-Vom!" Hermione said it rather calmly, however as soon as the words had left her mouth, she ran to the closest loo as quickly as her legs could go.

After cleaning herself up, she returned to the table Harry was sitting at.

"Everything alright?" Harry asked, concern etched on every part of his face.

"Yes fine." Hermione waved a hand in dismissal. "I got a bit of food poisoning yesterday, nothing to serious." Harry nodded slowly, he believed her but it was a fine line between that and not believing her, as she wasn't very convincing. "Well I think the Minister of Magic had no right to dump everything on you during Christmas, especially after everything they put you through last year." Hermione said rather suddenly, desperately trying to change the subject, after seeing a speck of disbelief in Harry's eyes.

Harry laughed, and happily joined in with Hermione's rantings and abusing the Minister of Magic. The evening passed quickly and fairly calmly, or at least as calmly as it could be given that everyone was catching up on what happened over the holiday. However, it was definitely considered tamer than the next morning when the sixth years spotted the large sign pinned to the notice board about Apparition Lessons.

"Hermione, do you want me to add your name to the list?" Harry asked as he signed his name.

Hermione shook her head. "No thank you, Harry. I took the test at the beginning of the year."

"What why didn't you tell us?" Ron exclaimed from behind her. Hermione ignored him, not even turning her head in acknowledgement of the question.

Harry frowned and repeated Ron's question.

"I didn't feel it necessary to tell as there wasn't going to be much opportunity to actually apparate, given the ward against it in these walls." Hermione replied, gesturing to the room around them, pointing to the well-known fact that it was impossible to apparate in and out of Hogwarts.

Before anyone could say anything else, Lavender slipped her hands over Ron's eyes, and trilled, "Guess who, Won-Won?" Which resulted in Hermione stalking off, trying to get as far as she could from the couple.


	12. The Tree By The Lake

**All rights to J. K. Rowling**

* * *

It was the 29th of February, several who attended Hogwarts were fuming due to the cancellation of the next trip to Hogsmeade - made known to them via a sign on all common room notice boards. Hermione was also particularly irritated, however not so much due to the cancelled trip, more to do with the mood swings she's been suffering because of her pregnancy. The progress of her pregnancy wasn't all bad though, her morning sickness had subsided considerably, and the spell she had found in 'A Pureblood Woman's Enchiridion To Creating The Perfect Illusion' was successfully hiding Hermione's baby bump and unbelievably swollen ankles. Her irritation and frustration was, however, added to by the constant and painful back and abdomen pains she experienced.

About 3 hours after classes had ended, Hermione could be found making her way back to the large castle from one of the benches located on the shore of the Black Lake, where she had been studying and soaking up the sun in silence - as most people still thought it too cold to go outside. The day was as pleasant as Hermione could comprehend it to be (take into account the back aches) as the sun was shining through one of the valleys around Hogwarts, glistening off the water (and random patches of ice) and reflecting off the windowpanes - blinding Hermione as she walked.

"Hermione!" A voice shouted, causing Hermione to look up from the ground only to be greeted by the sight of a silhouette running towards her from the school. As the figure got closer, Hermione could make out the colour of hair that sat atop the person's head. Ginger. "Hermione!" Ron called again as he stopped in front of her, he put a hand on her shoulder as if to steady himself. Hermione flinched at the touch, they were far from being on good terms. Ron upon noticing the flinch retracted his hand and apologised. "Sorry." He looked behind him, feeling slightly on edge, but about what, Hermione had no idea. He frowned slightly as if trying to decide something before taking a quick breath. "Look Hermione, I know we haven't been great friends recently but I was wondering if we could be civil for a little while. It is my birthday tomorrow, and I would like that very much." He rushed out.

Hermione was quite relieved by the hand of friendship or at least civility that Ron was extending towards her, at times she had got really quite tired of the front she had been putting up when around Ron, however her pride and the fact that those moments often disappeared quickly prevented her from saying anything about it. And it was his birthday tomorrow, so Hermione couldn't really say no. Hermione nodded, while smiling slightly. "Alright, I'd like that too, Ron."

"Brilliant!" Ron gave her a quick hug, before looking behind his shoulder again, back towards the school. "If you need me I'll be at the tree by the lake, I'm trying to hide from Lavender." Hermione's smile dropped and her eyes darkened, but Ron took no notice of this. "If you see Lavender, you did not see me, okay?"

Hermione thought for a second, she could help one of her best friends since first year or she could destroy Mr Heartbreaker who really had taken her heart and broken it into a thousand pieces the night of the Gryffindor Victory party. A sly smile crept onto her face, but Ron couldn't tell the difference in smiles. "Okay, Ron. I promise I won't tell Lavender that you are at the tree by the lake."

"Thank you so much!" Ron exclaimed. He hugged her again before going off towards the tree. "Thanks Hermione, you're a real friend!" He called over his shoulder, although he didn't even bother to turn around.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at the retreating figure. He had used her to hide from his girlfriend, to get her to send Lavender in the opposite direction. She was just a pawn in a Ron Weasley Wizard's Chess game at this moment, and she hated it. She was the distraction, the diversion. She huffed and stomped the rest of the way to the school, where she then reeled herself in when in the building - she didn't want to make enough noise to attract attention.

As Hermione past the Great Hall someone ran into her, causing her books fly out of her arms and for herself to fall painfully to the floor with a loud thud. Normally, Hermione's first reaction would have been to collect her books, however, instead a hand flew to her stomach as if to reassure herself that nothing had happened to the baby. After a several seconds, Hermione was sure that the baby was fine, and she was just about to give the person a piece of her mind when she saw Lavender Brown's hand extended towards her, as if to help her up. Once up, Lavender then handed Hermione her books.

"Lavender." Hermione said, as she eyed Lavender suspiciously and cautiously.

"Oh, Hermione!" Lavender threw her hands up in the air. "I'm so sorry. I was in such a rush to find my Won-Won, apparently we're playing some version of hide and seek, that I wasn't looking where I was going and ran straight into you! I am so sorry."

"It's alri-"

"Oh Hermione," Lavender interrupted, batting her eyelashes and pouting her lips at Hermione, "Have you seen my Won-Won?"

A mischievous smile fell upon Hermione's face before she smiled sweetly. "He's at the tree by the lake." Hermione said, pointing behind her.

Lavender ran off, without so much of a 'thank you'. Hermione didn't care, she continued to walk towards the Gryffindor common room with an impish smile. This smile, however, disappeared the instant she saw Draco Malfoy leaning against the portrait of the Fat Lady.


	13. An Unwelcome Chat

**All rights to J. K. Rowling**

* * *

Malfoy looked up from the floor at the sound of footsteps approaching, his lips curled upwards in a satisfied sneer as the person who he had been waiting for scowled as they walked towards him.

"Out of the way, Ferret." Hermione hissed.

"Have you forgotten our little chat at the beginning of term already, Beaver?" Malfoy reprimanded.

Hermione's jaw clenched. "I said move, Malfoy."

"Not until we have a little chat, Mudblood."

Hermione closed her eyes and balled her fists in frustration. She counted to 20 in her head before she sighed. "Fine." She relented bitterly. "But we can't chat here."

"Why not?" Malfoy played the oblivious card, loving Hermione's riled up reaction.

Her eyes flared, and she repeatedly clenched and unclenched her fingers, willing herself to calm down and not cause a scene - you never knew which teachers might suddenly round the corner. "Because Malfoy," She spoke as if explaining it to a child, "Anyone could see us here, and I would certainly prefer it if people didn't see us together."

"Why should I care what you want?"

Hermione surprised Malfoy by walking right up to him, the top of her head reached just below his shoulders. But instead of doing anything to Malfoy, she whispered the password to the Fat Lady - who was complaining of being squished by Malfoy - just low enough that Malfoy couldn't hear what she was saying. She shoved Malfoy aside, once the portal had opened, so she could stick her head inside the common room to see if anybody was around. It was empty. Knowing she would definitely regret her decision, she grabbed Malfoy's wrist and dragged him up to her dormitory. Once Hermione slammed and locked the door shut she turned on Malfoy.

"Idiot!" She exclaimed as she started hitting him with one of the very dense books she had been studying from. "Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!"

Malfoy caught her arm and glared at her. "Are you quite done yet?"

"What in Godric's name were you thinking?!" She asked, incredulously, before she decided to try kicking his shins. Unfortunately, he moved out of the way before her foot could land the painful blow, causing her to loose her balance and land painfully on her arse again. _Damn his seeker agility_. She thought as she went down. She sat there for a few seconds with her eyes closed, allowing her to go over the mental checklist she'd made to make sure the baby was alright. Two falls within 10 minutes can't be very good. She opened her eyes, to be utterly bewildered. Draco Malfoy was offering her a hand up. She blinked several times, staring at the hand.

Malfoy humphed and sighed impatiently. "Are you going to take the hand or not?"

She took his hand. "Thanks-"

"Merlin, Granger." Malfoy exclaimed suddenly. "How much have you eaten?" His voice was strained from the physical exertion of pulling her up.

It was Hermione's turn to humph. "I was going to apologise for hitting and trying to kick you, but I don't think I will." She stated haughtily.

"Whatever." Malfoy waved his hand in dismissal. "Now to the matter at hand." He looked down his nose at her. Disgust written into his features. "Get Potter off my back."

"What?"

"Get Potter off my back." He repeated. "I can't exactly complete my task with Potter following me and breathing down my neck."

"It might not even be Harry. It could be someone else." Hermione protested.

Malfoy gave her a look as if to say 'Who else has the saviour-of-everything complex and would be stupid enough to follow me?'

Hermione frowned. "Fine."

Malfoy patted her head condescendingly. "That's a good Mudblood."

"I'm only doing this because you're blackmailing me." She grumbled.

"I know." Malfoy grinned. "And I am taking great pleasure in your torment."

"That's not normal."

Malfoy ignored her, as he unlocked the door and descended the stairs.

A very pissed and irritated Ronald Weasley slammed the door of the portrait open and stormed into the Gryffindor Common Room. "I don't know how she found me." He muttered to himself, seriously regretting ever hooking up with Lavender Brown - The World's Clingiest Girlfriend. He was just about to ascend the stairs when he froze. Coming down towards him was The Amazing Bouncing Ferret.

"What are you doing in here, Ferret?" Ron growled.

"None of your business, Weasel." Malfoy sneered at him before he continued out of the common room. Ron stood there for several minutes frowning and glaring at the portrait door. It opened again, and Harry stepped through, smiling happily until he noticed the glare Ron was sending in his direction. He froze as well.

"Ron, you alright mate?" Harry asked.

Ron stopped glaring and blinked several times trying to register who he had just seen in the common room, prompting Harry to walk towards him.

"Harry," He said, "I think we have a mole."

Hermione took a step back to hide herself behind the curve of the stairs, from the boys. Her eyes were wide open in shock and her breathing irregular. She had decided to make sure that Malfoy actually left the common room, when she had heard Ron's thoughts. She would have to try and avoid Malfoy even more now.


	14. End Of Year

**All rights to J. K. Rowling**

* * *

Hermione's heart wrenched in her chest as she stepped off the Hogwarts Express and onto Platform 9¾ for potentially the last time. She was already emotional and upset from Dumbledore's funeral that happened earlier in the day, just add her pregnancy hormones and she was close to being a total wreck. After collecting her luggage, she turned to Harry, Ron and Ginny.

"I'll see you guys later, probably for your birthday, Harry." Hermione said to the others as she began to hug each of them. Ron leaned in to kiss her on the cheek but it made Hermione feel guilty. Ron was kind of expecting the two of them to get together, especially since their relationship had got better after he broke it off with Lavender, but Hermione just didn't think she'd be able to go through with it - especially when she was pregnant with Draco Malfoy's baby. Not only had he just tried to kill Dumbledore and ran off with the other Death-Eaters, but he also happens to be Ron's most hated enemy, so that really wouldn't go well.

"Bye Hermione. We'll keep in touch." Harry gave her a smile. If Hermione wasn't so emotional she would have rolled her eyes, she knew there was a very small probability of receiving more than one letter from Harry and Ron combined. Instead, she just nodded before apparating into the living room of her parents' house.

"Oh my word!" Moira announced as Hermione just seemed to appear with a pop, her luggage in her hands. She chuckled and shook her head slightly. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that, my dear." At the sight of her mum, Hermione broke down into tears knowing it was a safe place. Moira darted forward to cradle Hermione on the floor. "Hermione what's wrong?" Hermione replied with something but she was too hysterical for it to be anything other than gibberish. Moira froze with a thought. "Hermione weren't you pregnant?!" Moira panicked. "Oh darling, did you lose the baby?" Moira's eyes started to tear up, but fortunately Hermione shook her head.

"No. He's still kicking." She sniffed and seemed to calm down enough to take off her watch, which she always had on. Instantly, Hermione's enormous stomach and swollen ankles could be seen.

Moira gave Hermione a massive hug. "You must be nearing your due date." Hermione nodded. "If you feel anything, you have to let me know immediately." She paused. "How do you know he's a boy?"

"I don't know, maybe mother's intuition. But also it sounded nicer than calling the baby an 'it'." Hermione paused to think for a second. "Besides, on occasion 'he', 'his' or 'his have been used in female cases. I feel it's pretty multi-gender."

Moira laughed. "Of course. So how did Harry and Ron take it?" Hermione looked down at the ground and didn't answer. "You didn't tell them, did you?" Moira frowned at Hermione. "But isn't one of them the father? Hermione, they have a right to know." Hermione looked up at her mother with startled eyes.

"What?" Hermione chuckled. "No, neither of them is the father. And Harry's like my brother!"

It was Moira's turn to look confused. "But I thought you fancied Ron."

"He and I have been at odds since the beginning of November... But we made up after he was poisoned."

"Poisoned!?" Moira shrieked.

"Mum, calm down!" Hermione placed a hand on Moira's shoulder, as she thought up a calming lie. "Someone's potion accidentally spilled into Ron's glass of water that he had during Potions, and well the potion hadn't been completed and had some bad effects on Ron."

Moira seemed to calm down a bit. "So if neither is the father, who is?"

"Someone I should have never danced the tango with." Hermione muttered.

"Hermione, do I know him?"

"You know of him, but I'm not going to tell you who."

Moira narrowed her eyes at Hermione. "Hermione..." She warned.

"It's better this way. This way Dad has no way of killing the father, and my kid being raised fatherless."

"So the father does know?"

"No."

"Hermione Jean Granger-"

"Mum, I'm too tired and emotional to deal with this. It's been a trying day, we had Professor Dumbledore's funeral this morning."

"Professor Dumbledore is dead? Why weren't we informed?"

"You were." Hermione pointed to a forgotten unopened letter that lay on the coffee table.

"Oh." Moira flushed red. "How old was he?"

"115." Moira's eyes widened, but she said nothing else about it.

"Right, lets get you unpacked." She said instead, helping her up and ushering her up the stairs into Hermione's room.


	15. Hello Sweetie

**All rights to J. K. Rowling**

* * *

On the 11th of July, all Hermione could feel was pain. All Hermione could think was _Fucking Ferret_.

This went on for 19 hours 59 minutes. When the Doctor ordered her to 'Push' one more time, Hermione was sure she'd been in labour for 32 days. However, she knew it was worth it the moment she heard a baby's cries and when she felt a sudden relief. Hermione's body seemed to celebrate the fact that she was no longer carrying another human being.

"Congratulations, Hermione you've jus-" Doctor Rory Pond spoke, before Hermione lifted her very sweaty head and interrupted.

"Let me see him." Hermione croaked.

"But we need to cl-"

"I want to see my son, regardless of whether he's covered in blood or not. Now let me hold him." Hermione ordered, still managing to sound rather commanding despite her feeble state. Moira and the Doctor shared a surprised look, no one had said what gender the baby was. Hermione looked at Doctor Pond with a particularly scary glare, until he handed her the baby, who was only really half wrapped in a blanket. Hermione slowly swaddled the baby herself, having next to no energy. "Hello." She whispered quietly to the baby boy in her arms, the boy opened his big silver eyes at Hermione's voice and stared into her chocolate ones. She played with the tuft of wavy blonde hair on his head as she smiled. "Hello Leon." Leon opened his mouth to show her a gummy smile and giggled slightly. Hermione grinned. "You like 'Leon' don't you, my little lion?" He giggled again.

The door swung open. "I heard the screaming stop. Is everything alright?" James stormed in, his eyes wide open in panic. James's eyes fell on Hermione and her son. "Oh my..." He walked towards his daughter, Moira trailing behind him as she held his hand.

"He's gorgeous, Hermione." Moira said, she held out her other hand. Leon grabbed onto it and started playing with her fingers, his eyes shining with wonder as he did so. "Hello Sweetie."

"He's so... blonde." James blurted out in his dazed state. Hermione and Moira looked at him questioningly. "I hope blonde stereotypes don't apply to him." He whispered, not noticing the looks. "He'll be just like his mummy." His hand went forward to touch the baby. "His mummy... Hermione. My daughter... baby." James bolted upright. "I'm a grandfather." He announced. He stood up. "I'm a grandfather." He started laughing and giving everyone in the room a hug. "I'm a grandfather!" He opened the door into the corridor and shouted, "I'm a grandfather!" He closed the door again and looked at Hermione. "He's so perfect..." Hermione smiled. "I'm a grandfather... at 47." One of his eyebrows rose. "Hermione, couldn't you have waited another 12 years?"

Hermione and Moira blinked before they both burst out laughing. Soon after they'd calmed down, Hermione's and Leon's eyes drooped before they both started snoring softly. Moira sighed softly, the picture of Hermione sleeping with her baby snoozing in her arms was one of complete bliss, something that brought happy tears to her eyes. One of the nurses picked up the sleeping Leon and started to clean him and check his vitals.

* * *

A few days later, Hermione welcomed Leon Étienne Lucien Granger to his new home. She'd spent the last few days in the hospital recovering whilst the nurses made sure that Leon was healthy. She had signed his birth certificate just before she'd left, admitting that Draco Malfoy was the father, she still had to tell her parents that specific detail. And she was sure they would not be happy given all the stories she'd told them about him.

She was currently sitting in the living room with her parents, drinking tea whilst Leon was sleeping in Hermione's old baby rocker. Moira cleared her throat.

"Hermione, dear, are you going to tell us who the father is?" She asked.

Hermione gulped. "Please don't get mad..." She started slowly. "But you remember the stories I told about Draco Malfoy-"

"Hermione!" Moira scolded.

"That git?!" James exclaimed. "The one whose always going off about muddy blood and whose father practically duelled Arthur Weasley because he was talking to us whilst we were shopping in Diagon Alley before your second year?" He asked. Hermione nodded. "Hermione!"

"I know! It was a bad idea and a very big mistake." Hermione put her hands up in defence. "But I was so mad at Ron, and we were both so overruled by our angry emotions and we both needed distractions from our lives. We weren't thinking clearly!" She paused. "But I got Leon, so I don't think it was that much of a mistake, despite the horrible timing." She mumbled the last bit to herself. Her parents didn't need to know about the looming war.

"And Leon's an angel." Moira said. "But Hermione, that wasn't the smartest thing to do while you were angry. You should have just gone up to your dorm room and stayed there."

"I would have but if I had been anywhere near Lavender that night, she may not have woken up." Moira and James shot their daughter an unimpressed look. "I was very upset with her. You would have understood if you had been in my position."

"Oh really?" Moira asked.

"Yes." Hermione pouted. Fortunately for Hermione, Leon chose that moment to wake up and demand a feeding. "Ah, saved by Leon." She grinned as she stood up and picked up her fussing baby. "Now if you'll excuse me, someone's rather hungry." She said before she walked out the door towards the kitchen. "Your a very good boy, Leon, you know that? You saved Mummy from Granny and Grandpa, they're not too happy with me at the moment." Leon smiled his gummy smile and giggled, before nuzzling into Hermione's shoulder. "I love you, my baby boy." Hermione smiled into his blonde hair.


	16. Goodbye

**All rights to J. K. Rowling**

* * *

Hermione put the last of what she would need on the Horcrux Hunt into the beaded handbag she had placed the Undetectable Extension Charm on. She looked around the now bare room one last time before pulling the bag onto her shoulder and picking up Leon. She walked down the stairs to see her parents in front of the TV watching a documentary about Kangaroos.

"Hermione, dear, you really aught to see this. It's rather fascinating." James said, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Give me a sec, Dad... I just need to do something." Hermione's eyes started to tear up as she raised her wand at her unsuspecting parents. "Velamen Essentia." She whispered, as she pictured the lives of Wendell and Monica Wilkins. The two seemed to freeze in time for a few seconds, allowing Hermione to make her way to the front door but she didn't leave until she heard her mother speak.

"Wendell, I've been meaning to bring this up for some time, I want to move to Australia. There's nothing keeping us in the UK and I want something in our lives to change."

Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath before quietly opening the door and leaving her house for who knows how long. Once out of the house but still hidden from public eyes, Hermione apparated to an alley on the opposite side of London. Leon let out a wail, he really didn't enjoy the feeling of being sucked into a tube.

"Shhhh, baby. It's alright." Hermione tried to comfort him, succeeding as he started to sniffle and whimper instead. She walked out of the alley and towards her destination about a 10 minute walk away, the walking necessary as she didn't want anyone to be able to trace her steps. She stopped when she had arrived at a beautiful white house with a dark wooden front door. She took a breath before she opened the elegant black gate and walked up the path that led through gorgeous flowerbeds. Hermione only had to wait about a minute after knocking before the door opened.

"Hermione!" Jax flung herself at Hermione, not noticing the baby in her arms, consequently causing him to squawk in terror. Jax jumped back and her eyes widened at the presence of the boy. "What is that?" She asked in shock.

"Can we do this inside?"

"Of course." Jax stepped aside, allowing Hermione to walk past, before closing the door and following Hermione up to Jax's room. "So who is this?"

"This is Leon, he's my secret."

"You were pregnant?" Hermione nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't tell anybody... The timing was awful, and his father and I have never been on friendly terms."

"So how did you two sire a child?"

"He was there and we both needed a distraction."

Jax nodded, sort of understanding. "So why are you here? I feel like this more than just wanting to be in my awesome presence."

Hermione pinched her lips together and gulped, her eyes darting around the room nervously before she willed up some Gryffindor courage. "I need you to look after him." Hermione's voice cracked.

"What?" Jax looked at her, very confused.

"There are some bad people after me." Hermione started fidgeting with Leon's hair. "Really bad people. It has to do with my school and- and my world... If they found him, they would kill him. It's why I didn't tell anyone about him, no one knows of his existence apart from you and me." Hermione admitted.

"What about your parents?" Jax paused. "Hang on, why can't I remember your parents? Do you have them? Did you have parents? All I see when I think about you with parents is a white sort of fog. And what did you mean by 'my world'?"

Hermione thought about how to answer this, taking a deep breath. "I did have parents. But as far as they and the rest of the world is concerned, I'm an orphan until the time is right." She paused. "Ummm, and before I tell you anything about 'my world' I need you to promise to keep a secret."

Jax's eyebrows furrowed in confusion but she nodded. "Yes, I promise to keep a secret... If magic existed, I'd keep it by doing some sort of unbreakable vow spell." She added as a joke.

"That can be arranged, actually." Hermione chuckled slightly.

"What do you mean?"

Hermione took out her wand and pointed it at some of the cotton balls next to some nail polish on the ledge above an old fireplace. "Wingardium Leviosa." Jax stared in shock as the pads started floating, Leon giggled and cooed at it in amusement. Hermione normally used this spell to entertain him.

"You're a- you're a-"

"A witch." Hermione finished for her.

"So that's why your school didn't admit me..."

"And the bad people after me are dark wizards called Death-Eaters."

"Creepy name." Jax muttered.

"They won't be able to find you because no one in the Wizarding World knows about you, I tend to try and keep to two worlds very separate." Hermione explained. "I've got everything prepared, I've got a copy of his birth certificate, and a letter saying that you are his temporary guardian and that if I don't return after 3 years you are to be his permanent guardian." Hermione paused to take a breath. "I really need you to look after him, Jax. I can't take him with me where I'm going, I'm most likely going to be on the move for the best part of a year and then the end of all this is probably a deadly battle no matter how much my friends and I will try to prevent it."

"Yes, I'll look after him Hermione, but I need to ask my mother and we don't have any baby stuff in the house anymore."

"I have all of his stuff here." Hermione set Leon down on the bed and opened the beaded bag to take out a blue suitcase, followed by the baby rocker, a play mat, a highchair and a rather nice crib.

"You're like Mary Poppins." Jax exclaimed, causing Hermione to laugh.

"All of his clothes are in the suitcase along with a piece of paper with all of his eating and sleeping habits. I've also set up a bank account for you to buy his things with, it's got about £25,000 in it. I hope that will last until I come back, if I die my will gives him everything I have which includes everything in my wizard bank account."

Jax's eyes widened. "Where on earth did you get that much money?"

"My grandfather left me some money, my parents gave me quite a bit to help look after Leon, and various savings."

"What about my mother?"

"I'll help you with that, lets talk to her now." Hermione picked Leon up and followed Jax to the kitchen. "Hello Ms Birthwood."

"Hermione, how many times have I told you to call me Annie?" Annie Birthwood asked warmly, turning off the tap before she made her way to hug the girl, stopping when she noticed the baby boy in her arms. "Who is this?" She asked.

"This is my son, Leon, he's just over two weeks old."

"Your son?" Hermione nodded. Annie looked at the baby again and smiled. "He's adorable, got his mother's nose... He's going to have gorgeous features when he grows up."

"Annie, I need your help... and what I need is rather a lot to ask."

Annie looked at Hermione questioningly. "What do you need help with?"

"I need you to look after Leon for a while. I've been offered a scholarship place at Peking University but I'm afraid I'm not allowed to take Leon with me..." Hermione lied smoothly.

"What about your-" Annie stopped herself. "Oh my dear girl, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring them up, your parents' demise being the reason you go to a boarding school far away from where it happened." Annie looked at Hermione sadly.

"Think nothing of it." Hermione's eyes glistened with tears, thinking about what she'd done to her parents and wondering if she'll ever see them again. "I'll get over it soon."

"And of course I'll help look after Leon! You've been presented with an amazing opportunity, and little Leon here will be well looked after." Hermione beamed at her.

"Thank you. I've brought most of his stuff with him, it's in Jax's room at the moment."

"Well we can move it to the spare bedroom." Annie smiled at her before going off to start moving things into the spare bedroom.

"How on Earth did you get my mother to agree to that? She never agrees to anything I ask of her!" Jax asked Hermione.

"Your mother loves me, and she knows how much my education means to me." Hermione replied. "Come on Leon, Mummy's going to help set up your new room." Hermione walked off to help Annie.

About half an hour later, they had unpacked everything and set it up in the spare bedroom. Hermione had told Annie about the letter, birth certificate and bank account, and all seemed to be in order.

"Hermione, dear, stop fussing. You've prepared everything that we can think of. It'll be fine." Annie reassured. "Now, you better get going or else you're going to miss your flight."

Hermione looked down at Leon, who was looking back at her with confused eyes, almost as if he could tell she was going to say something he wouldn't like. "Leon, baby, I want you to be a good boy for Annie and Jax alright. Don't be too fussy and make sure you're not distracting them from what's really important at the time." Hermione told him, Leon nuzzled closer into Hermione as if to agree with what she's saying. "And remember that I love you so much, my little lion. Mummy loves you so so so much. Even if I don't come back, I want you to know it." Hermione whispered, before handing him over to Annie, the action prompted Leon to cry and consequently making Hermione feel like her heart was breaking. "Thank you so much." Hermione gave both Jax and Annie a hug.

"We'll look after him, have fun." Annie smiled at her.

"Be safe." Jax whispered in her ear as she gave her a massive hug.

"I will." She replied to both. She gave Leon another peck on his forehead. "I love you, baby. Goodbye, my little lion."

And with that she turned around and left, a single tear fell down her face however she quickly wiped it away. After walking back to the alley she apparated to Privet Drive, ready to do whatever was needed.


	17. Comfort

**All rights to J. K. Rowling**

* * *

Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep shuddering breath, trying to calm herself down and go to sleep. But much to her distress and discomfort, the wound on her arm and the trauma she had experienced earlier that day at Malfoy Manor prevented her from doing so. She took another faltering deep breath, trying once again to calm down, only to shoot upright at the sight of Bellatrix Lestrange torturing her in her minds eye. Hermione grabbed her mauled forearm causing another pang of pain to go through her and her eyes to start tearing up. She looked at the clock on the bedside table, it read 20:30. She then looked at the sleeping figure in the chair by her door, Ron was fast asleep and snoring like there was no tomorrow, she knew however that he would wake up the moment she screamed in her sleep and she couldn't put him through that. Ron was just as exhausted as she was and he needed rest, just like she did. The difference between them was that he could sleep, whilst she just couldn't do it here. With extra care to be completely silent, Hermione got out of bed and made her way down the stairs, when passing the living room she noticed Harry asleep on the sofa with a book open on his lap. She breathed a sigh of relief as she closed the back door in the kitchen, the night air welcoming her and offering her freedom to go where she wants. She waited a second to make sure the door locked and that no one came after her, before she took off and ran from the house, looking for a safe apparation point.

* * *

The sound of a car backfiring made Jax fall off her chair and whack her head on her desk, however she didn't fuss over the pain that erupted in her head, for she jumped up and ran to where the sound had came from - Leon's room. She burst through the door to find a weeping Hermione cradling the baby on the floor. Jax was astounded to see that the infant himself was not crying and bawling at the sight of his distraught mother but was instead nuzzling into her as if to provide comfort.

"Hermione?" Jax asked quietly.

Hermione's head shot up and her weeping turned into quiet sobbing. "I- I'm s- s- sorry to barge in like th- this, Jax." Hermione said between sobs. "I ju- just really need- needed to see him."

Jax crouched down in front of her best friend. "Hermione, what's wrong?" She asked solemnly. The question made Hermione pull Leon closer to her and sob harder. They sat like that for about half an hour before Hermione calmed down.

"Sorry." Hermione used a hand to wipe away the tears and get rid of the tear tracks on her face.

"Do you want to sit on the bed instead of the floor?" Jax asked, motioning to the double bed in the room. "It's more comfortable than the floor."

Hermione laughed, and picked herself up, still holding onto Leon. "Yes, my legs have gone numb from sitting on them bent for so long." She sat down on the bed next to Leon's cot and made herself comfortable. Jax pulled the rocking chair closer and sat in it.

"Hermione why were you on the floor crying like you were in hell?" Jax asked, concerned for her friend.

"Because I had been." She mumbled in response before taking a deep breath and showing Jax what Bellatrix had carved into her arm. Jax gasped and looked at her with wide shocked eyes. "Earlier today I was tortured by a woman who should be in a loony bin. She threw curse after curse at me, most of them being an unforgivable in my world. And finally she took it upon herself to brand my skin with a filthy word used for witches with no magical ancestors." Hermione looked down at her son, who was staring up at her with concerned eyes. "I needed to see this little boy, to shine some light in my currently dark life."

Jax opened and closed her mouth several times. "Hermione, I don't know what to say. I have no words."

"Most wouldn't." Those two words stopped the conversation from continuing on that topic. "How has he been?" Hermione asked.

"An angel. You wouldn't expect to look after such a good baby, I thought they were all cry at least." Jax smiled at the boy. "He spoke his first words a few months ago. Mum and I were just about to tuck him in for bed when he grabbed his stuffed lion and said 'Mione' before starting to cry." Hermione's eyes started to tear up at the idea of missing his first word and the fact that it had been her name. "I don't think I've ever seen him so inconsolable, kept repeating 'Mione' and 'Mummy' over and over again... Mum keeps saying he's very smart and advanced for a baby his age, I reckon that that's why he was able to figure out why his mother is barely here."

"I'm here for a night, darling." Hermione whispered into his hair, causing Leon to clap his hands together and giggle. "Has he taken his first steps, yet?"

Jax shook her head. "Not yet, apparently it should happen at some point in the next 3 months. Mum and I recently bought a video camera, which we have yet to turn off when Leon is out of his crib. We don't want you to miss anything."

Hermione smiled at her friend. "Thank you. I'm just sorry that I can't actually be here."

"How much longer do you think you'll be away for?"

"I can't say. It's nearing the end but I may not survive the final battle." Hermione admitted.

Jax didn't know how to reply to that so they sat in silence for a couple of minutes before she glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table. "Hermione, I'm going to go to bed as it's nearing 11:30. You're welcome to sleep here overnight."

"Night, Jax." Hermione called after her as she left the room. Hermione lay back with her head against the headboard on the bed and held up Leon. "I think we should go to bed as well, don't you think?" But instead of putting him back in his crib, Hermione set him down next to her, not quite willing to part with him quite yet. Within 5 minutes both of them fell into a deep slumber, Hermione was particularly grateful that it was one void of nightmares.


	18. Pancakes & Talk

**All rights to J. K. Rowling**

* * *

Hermione opened her sleepy eyes when she felt someone poking her, and she narrowed her eyes at the offending person - Jax, who happened to be holding a smiling, dressed Leon.

"Why do you dare disturb my slumber?" She asked in a menacing voice.

"Because, Oh Mighty One, I want to know if you want pancakes." Jax explained.

Hermione shot up in the bed. "Pancakes?"

"Yes, pancakes."

"I haven't had pancakes in nearly a year." Hermione said wistfully.

"I'll take that as a yes then." Jax concluded as she turned around and headed out the door. Hermione looked at the clock, which said 08:00, got off the bed and followed after Jax, into the kitchen.

"I won't be able to stay long though, I've got to get back to help the others. Hopefully they aren't up yet." Hermione said as she sat down on one of the counter chairs, she watched as Jax put Leon in his high chair and handed him a small bowl of mashed up pancakes with diluted lemon juice - which he tucked into very happily.

Jax turned back to the stove and poured some more batter into the frying pan. "So who exactly is this baddy that you and your friends have decided to fight?" She asked.

"A psychopath who wants to live forever and who really wants to kill a certain friend of mine, he's failed every time since Harry was one years old but he did make him an orphan." Hermione answered.

"Nice guy." Jax commented sarcastically. "Are you sure it's a good idea, you going off and fighting this fight? You have a son to come back to Hermione."

"I promised Harry I'd help him... And if He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named wins then the world is going to take a dark turn, it'll turn into a world that I hope Leon never has to live through. I'll spare you the details."

"But can't your friends defeat him without you?"

"I've been Harry and Ron's brain since I met them." Hermione stated. Jax set a plate of pancakes on the counter, got out two plates and helped herself, motioning for Hermione to do the same. "Thanks."

"So what you're saying is that without you the Wizarding World is doomed." Jax said between mouthfuls.

Hermione nodded. "Without me the UK is doomed, and Harry would have died in first year."

* * *

An hour later, and after another tearful goodbye to Jax and Leon, Hermione quietly shut the back door of the kitchen at Shell Cottage hoping that no one had noticed her absence. However, she realised this was completely foolish when someone grabbed her shoulders and span her around to face them.

"WHERE WERE YOU?" A frantic looking Ronald Weasley demanded.

"I-"

"Hermione!" Harry rushed forwards, and gave her a massive hug after pushing Ron to the side. "We were out of our minds with worry! Why didn't you leave us a note?" Harry scolded, although he was too relieved to tell her off properly.

"How long have you been awake?" Hermione asked the two a bit timidly.

"Since 4 in the morning." Ron answered gruffly. "I woke up desperate for the loo and noticed you weren't in bed so I went downstairs to look for you but you were no where in the house. Of course I woke up Harry to see if he knew anything and to have someone help me find you. Where did you go?"

Trying to avoid the question, Hermione stepped to the side - out of the reach of both boys - and started walking towards the living room, where Bill and Fleur were seated.

"'Ermione!" Fleur cried as she got up and flung her arms around the other girl. "We were worried!"

"Morning Hermione." Bill greeted from his seat. "Ron, I told you she'd come back in one piece."

Ron grumbled in response before ordering Hermione to sit on an empty sofa. "Now, where did you go?"

"I went for a walk." Hermione lied.

"In the dead of night for more than five hours?" Harry asked sceptically. "You were never a very good liar, Hermione."

Hermione sighed in defeat. "I needed to get away from this world for a bit. It's been tearing me up from the inside and yesterday it broke me... I needed family and I needed a bit of my Muggle life to stitch together a bit of me so that I can function."

"Your parents don't know who you are." Ron argued. "How is that supposed to help mend you?"

Hermione glared at Ron. "They're not my only family."

"You should have told us where you'd gone." Ron narrowed his eyes at her.

"Just like you told Harry and me where you were going after you left us?"

"I wanted to come back as soon as I'd left!" Ron defended.

"And I came back after a few hours, instead of months!" Hermione stood up. "Now, I need to have a shower and get changed, so if you'll excuse me." Hermione left the room before anyone responded.


	19. It's Finally Over

**All rights to J. K. Rowling**

 *********There is potential trigger here later on about rape - it isn't explicit or anything like that but I thought I'd put a warning here just in case *******

* * *

Hermione and Ron watched from just in front of the gargoyle who guarded the Headmaster's office as Harry started to make his way to the Gryffindor Tower muttering to himself about sleep and Kreacher bringing him a sandwich. When he was out of their sight the two of them made their way back to the Great Hall, knowing that he would want to be alone for a bit and would rather go to sleep than stay up chatting. Hermione was very grateful of the silence that fell between the two of them, she felt like she hadn't had a proper moment of silence in a very long time and that was mentally exhausting – she thought for a brief minute that maybe she should go up to the girls dormitories and sleep as well. When they reached the Great Hall Ron looked sadly towards his family, thoughts of Fred obviously filling his mind and conflicting with his idea that maybe Hermione wanted him.

"Go Ron, your family needs you." She nodded her head towards his family after catching a glimpse of conflicting emotions flash across his face.

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine, I'm going to see if I can help Madam Pomfrey with anything." She smiled at him, hoping that he'd see she was fine. He gave her a dubious look before nodding and heading off to his family. Hermione looked around the room for the Mediwitch before spotting her only a few metres away attending to a very shaken up looking Parvati Patil. "Madam Pomfrey?"

Madam Pomfrey looked up looking a bit flustered, a bit of relief flashed through her eyes when she saw the muggleborn girl standing next to her. "Ah Hermione my dear, are you alright?" A brief flicker of concern crossed her face.

"I'm fine." Hermione reassured her. "I was actually wondering if there's anything I can do to help you. Do you need me to do anything?"

Madam Pomfrey smiled, "Yes my dear, there is actually something," She glanced at the girl she was currently attending to. Parvati had a few cuts on her face and a gash that ran along her neck and down her left arm, she also seemed to have a rather large bruise around her neck and two very blue ones on each wrist. "Miss Patil, would you mind if Hermione took over?"

Parvati looked at Hermione and gave her a small smile. "Sure." Hermione was handed the bandages and various balms and potions Madam Promfrey had been using.

"How are you holding up, Parvati?" Hermione asked as she started applying a balm to one of her wrists.

"I'm-" Her eyes started to slowly fill with tears, "I'm numb but I know I'm in pain, I think it may be waiting to catch up with me; hit me hardest and destroy me when I think I may actually be alright." She gasped for breath a little bit before sniffling. "Thank you… for trying to help Lavender, I know she was pretty awful to you last year and that you kind of always just tolerated her."

"I'm sorry I was too late." Hermione whispered in response.

"It wasn't your fault." Neither of them spoke after that for a bit. After Hermione had tended to the large gash and the cuts on Parvati's face, she started on the large bruise on her neck.

"What happened here?" She asked quietly.

Parvati's face darkened and her bottom lip began to tremble. "The trouble with having the Carrow's as teachers at the school is that they hate Gryffindors, they'd do anything to humiliate and degrade them. A few days ago Amycus Carrow, he- I stood up to him for abusing some third years," She shuddered and paused, "H-he didn't ta-take too kindly to it and shot _Pet-Pertri-Petrificus Totalus_ at me before hav-having his way with me." Tears were flowing freely from her cheeks. "He was r-rather rough about it."

Hermione covered her mouth with her hand and looked at Parvati absolutely horrified. "Parvati I-" Parvati put a hand up to stop her.

"I know, but there's nothing really you can say that'll make it better." Hermione nodded and started to talk about something completely unrelated, hoping to distract Parvati and make her feel slightly more cheerful. When Hermione was finished she continued to talk to the girl who'd been her roommate for six years until Madam Pomfrey asked if she could tend to a family who was sitting in the corner closest to the Slytherin table. Hermione bid Parvati goodbye and then made her way over.

It wasn't until Hermione was only a few metres away that she realised that the family she'd been asked to see to were the Malfoys. She stilled almost immediately and wanted to run in the opposite direction but alas, Narcissa Malfoy looked up and spotted her with the medical supplies in her arms. Realising that she wouldn't be able to turn tail and run, Hermione continued to walk forwards and knelt in front of the elegantly dressed woman – her clothes didn't seem to fit with what had happened in the last twenty-four hours, you wouldn't have been able to tell she'd been fighting a war except for a few tears and the dirt on her.

"Mrs Malfoy do you mind if I look at you for any injuries?" The lady shook her head so Hermione waved her wand and performed a diagnostics charm designed to locate any problems. Her left wrist glowed a vibrant red indicating that she'd broken it and her foot glowed purple telling them she'd sprained it. Hermione worked in silence, neither of them particularly wanting to speak to one another – Hermione due to the fact that she didn't know the woman very well, Narcissa's reason was because she didn't know to express how sorry she was for the actions of her sister.

"Thank you Miss Granger." She murmured when Hermione had finished fixing her; Hermione gave her a curt nod before turning to Lucius Malfoy, who was seated next to his wife. She didn't ask if he wanted her help before casting the diagnostics charm on him, she didn't think after all he'd done to her that he deserved the courtesy. He grunted when he got a vague idea of her thoughts through her actions but said nothing and let her heal his shattered knee and tend to his concussion.

Finally she turned to the youngest Malfoy, who was sitting on the table behind his parents. He was cradling an arm as he watched her stand up and sit on the table next to him once Narcissa and Lucius had moved to the side a bit.

"I'm sorry." He apologised before Hermione even had the chance to open her mouth. Shocked, she looked up in the silver eyes that were so similar to her son's; Hermione had wanted to go to Leon as soon as Voldemort had breathed his last breath but she knew that she would be needed to help out here before she could and she didn't want to bring him to the ruins of Hogwarts, what had been a battleground until a few hours ago. What surprised her even more though as she looked into his eyes was that they weren't devoid of emotion as they normally were, she saw relief, guilt and something else she couldn't quite put her finger on as he looked at her.

"You didn't do anything." She said quietly.

"Precisely, I didn't do anything." He shook his head as if scolding himself. "I should have helped you at- at the manor… And I'm sorry about the way I treated you at school – especially last year. I'm so sorry, Hermione." Hermione blinked and stared at him, he looked so sincere and apologetic, self-hate seemed to be radiating off him. To add to her bewilderment he had called her by her first name. He'd never done that.

"You've never called me 'Hermione' before." She whispered as she waved her wand with perfect precision for the spell – he had a dislocated shoulder, a hyper-extended leg and a broken nose.

"Another reason I should be sorry, you never deserved those derogatory names." He winced as Hermione put a bit of pressure on his shoulder to test how badly dislocated it was, wondering if she would need to call Madam Pomfrey.

"You've changed." She commented, not realising she'd said this aloud.

"I just fought a war, that tends to change you." He chuckled mirthlessly.

"Indeed." Hermione agreed. "Thank you… for apologising." She smiled at him before frowning a little. "I'm going to need you to take off your shirt."

He raised an eyebrow at her and looked amused. "Why?" He asked.

"I can't see how dislocated your shoulder is under those layers, I also need to judge how to set your arm back."

"What if I say no? I'm a changed man, I could be very shy?" He joked.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's nothing I haven't already seen."

He grinned cheekily. "Well if that's what you were really asking…"

"Get over yourself." She blushed at the insinuation and gently shoved his shoulder forgetting for a second that it was dislocated. A squawk of pain emitted from his lips as he gritted his teeth. Hermione put a hand over her mouth, "Oh my word, I'm so sorry."

"How is it you've managed to cause me so much pain?" He lamented dramatically, letting her know he wasn't taking it too seriously. "The nose in third year and now my shoulder, how could you?"

Hermione chuckled. "I'm sorry it wasn't me who did your nose in this time."

"Nope, don't be." He said quickly. He started unbuttoning his black collared shirt, having already taken off his blazer with the help of Hermione. "This time hurt an awful lot less than when you punched me."

"Really?" She helped slip the shirt off his dislocated arm, leaving him in nothing but his trousers.

"Yes, you seem to be awfully good at causing pain." She grimaced and looked at him sadly at the sight of how bad the dislocation was. "That bad?" He asked noticing her look.

"Best if I fetch Madam Pomfrey." She hopped off the table. "I'll be back in a jiffy." Finding Madam Pomfrey was a relatively easy task as all Hermione had to do was follow the howls that came from Seamus Finnigan as she applied dittany to a gash that went all the way down his spine. Hermione waited for the Mediwitch to finish before she asked her to help her set Malfoy's shoulder.

Madam Pomfrey put her hands on her hips and shook her head when she saw the state of Malfoy's shoulder. "Mr Malfoy, what have you done to yourself?" She asked him, Lucius Malfoy turned his head in confusion thinking she was addressing him but quickly realised this wasn't the case and went back to talking with his wife. Draco Malfoy just grimaced and raised his hands in reply as if to say 'I have no idea, but what can I do?'. "I'm afraid that this is going to hurt Mr Malfoy." She informed him.

"Can't have hurt anymore than when- AH!" He did try incredibly hard not scream so instead all that came out was a painful groan followed by a few whimpers.

"Hermione give him these painkillers after you've fixed the rest of him." She conjured some potions of varying colours and handed them to Hermione. "I've got to see if Mr Finnigan has got any other afflictions."

Hermione sat back on the table, set the potions down and raised her wand to fix his nose. There was a loud crack as it fixed itself. "Merlin! That was painful. Couldn't you have given me a painkiller potion before you did that?"

Hermione shook her head. "If I give it to you before I fix everything else it won't dull the pain of the stuff I've yet to mend." She explained. He frowned but nodded in acceptance, so Hermione got to work on his leg. "This one shouldn't hurt, it'll feel a bit weird though – like someone is pouring cold jelly down your leg." Once she was done she gave him the various potions. "You must be relieved I didn't set your shoulder, I don't think you would have been able to take the pain that I seem to inflict on you." She joked.

He laughed before guzzling the turquoise potion she'd handed him. "I think you're right. I would have ended up curled up in a ball, wailing like a baby with my thumb in my mouth."

Hermione chortled. "I would pay money to see that." She handed him a pink potion, which he looked at sceptically.

"Are you trying to trick me into drinking a love potion under the pretence of a healing potion, Hermione?" He drawled.

"As if Draco."

"You just called me 'Draco'" He smiled as he downed the pink potion.

"Yeah… I guess I did." She scratched a nonexistent itch on the back of her neck. "You're not so bad when you're not spouting insults at me."

"You're not going to have to worry about me insulting you anymore if that's what it sounds like when you say my name."

"And what does it sound like?" She asked.

"I think I'd have to tell you in private, it's just too naughty to say in public." Draco grinned.

Hermione laughed. "Are you sure that it isn't you who wants to give me a love potion?"

Draco chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe," He grinned impishly, "I mean if I want a repeat of a very good experience you're certainly one to think about." He winked at her causing her to blush a very deep red.

"I highly doubt that's true, I hadn't had any experience."

"So imagine what it'll be like when you've had more experience." Hermione didn't think it was possible to blush anymore than she was already but apparently it was as her face continued to redden. Draco laughed, "You look pretty when you blush." He drank the final painkilling potion.

"I'm sure you think so if you like how a tomato looks." She commented sarcastically, but she couldn't help but grin, she was actually having fun talking and occasionally flirting with Draco. "Would you prefer me to heal the cuts on your face or do you want to do it?" She asked hoping the change of topic with quieten the blush.

"Touch me all you want, darlin'." He smirked, Hermione's hopes of the blush disappearing vanished. Hermione didn't respond to his comment and instead cleaned his wounds in silence trying to ignore the fact that he was staring at her.

"All done." She announced a little while later as she leaned away from Draco's face. She gathered all the medical supplies and started to get up when Draco grabbed hold of her arm and tugged her back onto the table completely. "What-" She cut herself off when he started to roll her left sleeve up once he'd taken all the supplies out of her hands. "Draco don't."

"Just let me do something to help heal it. Anything. If there's really nothing I can do then just let me clean it." He pleaded. Hermione looked at the reminder of her torture at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange and sighed, at some point in the battle the bandage she had kept over it had come off and as a result it was currently filthy and bloody. "Please." Draco pleaded again. Hermione nodded letting him have a complete view of her forearm. She heard a sharp intake of breath come from him when he saw it. "I'm so sorry, Hermione. I don't think I could repeat that enough to make it even slightly better." His eyes filled with tears and Hermione could see that he meant those words very much. Her heart broke at the sight of eyes so like her son's filling with tears and she tried to find something, anything that would make him a bit better.

"It's not so bad, the blade wasn't cursed so the worst it'll do is scar." She realised this wasn't exactly comforting but it was all she was able to come up with.

"It's still a reminder of what you went through and the word she-"

"Draco, I'm proud of who I am. Mudblood and proud." She told him. "The word doesn't faze me anymore, years of hearing it thrown at me has dulled the harmful intent of that word." She paused. "And my life from now on is all a reminder of what I went through, I went through all that so that my family, my friends and I could live in a world without having to fear anything."

Draco nodded, understanding what she was getting at and why she was telling him all this. "I feel a little better… not much, but a little."

Hermione chuckled quietly. "Then I have succeeded in my task."

He smiled at her in response, grateful that she had tried to cheer him up. The chatted happily as he cleaned her forearm and dressed it again, both of them enjoying each other's company and wishing they had actually bothered to be civil whilst they had been in school – then they could have had intelligent debates with people who weren't Ravenclaws and who would actually understand what they were talking about. It's not that they thought their friends were dumb, their friends just weren't as smart as them. At one point in their conversation they both fell into a comfortable silence, which meant that Hermione then started thinking very hard about a certain topic that was plaguing her mind.

"What's bothering you?" He asked.

"How do you know something is bothering me?"

"You're biting your lip and looking confused." He replied. "What are you thinking about?"

"I was thinking- I was won-" She paused and looked at him hard before making up her mind. "I'd like you to meet somebody."

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Yes," Hermione said more confidently than her last sentence, "I'd like you to meet the most precious and important person in my life right now."

"You're not going to reintroduce to me Weasley are you and claim that because I've changed it counts as meeting someone for the first time?"

Hermione laughed. "No, I'm not going to reintroduce you to Ron. No, he's not here at the moment. He couldn't have fought."

"You're going to introduce me to your Muggle boyfriend?" He sounded completely baffled. "Hermione, I didn't know we were that close... And I thought Weasley was your boyfriend?"

"No," Hermione shook her head, "It'll make more sense when you meet him." She paused. "And Ron isn't my boyfriend, I have a feeling he may not forgive me for a rather large and important… ummm… detail of my life – or it'll take him years to get over it."

"Well I'm fascinated to find out what you think will ruin Weasel's faith in you, are you going to tell me?" Hermione didn't respond so Draco moved on. "So when do you want me to meet this important person of yours?"

Hermione looked down nervously at her hands. "Whenever you like. Today, tomorrow… ten years time."

Draco looked at her and studied her nervous actions. "I think I'd like to meet him today before you manage to talk yourself out of letting me meet him."

"Um, alright. I'm not bringing him to a battle site though… I'll need to check that Madam Pomfrey doesn't need me for anything else, and then once I've let him know that you're coming I'll come back and get you. Is that alright?" He nodded. "Good. See you in a bit." She hopped off the table and gathered the medical supplies to give back to Madam Pomfrey.

"I'll be here, bye Hermione." He gave her a small wave as she headed off.

Hermione tapped the Mediwitch on her shoulder, "Madam Pomfrey, do you need me to do anything else?" She asked.

"Hello Hermione, let me take those off you." She said motioning to the supplies in her hands.

"Thank you." She started handing her the medical whatnots. "Do you need me to help with anything else?" Hermione repeated.

"No my dear. Go and have fun, talk to your friends or go home and sleep. I'll manage on my own." She smiled at the girl who'd been in her care since she was eleven.

"Thank you, I hope you manage to get some rest tonight as well." Just as Hermione walked out of the Great Hall to get to a point where she could apparate from (Professor McGonagall had set up the wards again) someone grabbed her hand. The person swung her into an embrace and she looked up to see Ron smiling at her.

"Hello Ron." She greeted him.

"Hi Hermione."

She tried to get out of his grip but he just tightened it a little. She sighed. "Ron could you let me go please? I have to go do something."

"But we need to talk." He said letting her take a step back but still holding onto her hands.

"About?"

"Our kiss." He grinned at her, Hermione's eyes widened in a bit of panic as she mentally face-palmed. "I would have asked to talk to you about this earlier but you were with Malfoy." He frowned. "He didn't try anything with you, did he?"

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed. "No Ronald, he didn't try anything. In fact he apologised and we actually had a rather nice conversation." She replied tightly.

Ron gave her a doubtful look but seemed to realise that he should let the subject slide if he didn't want to start an argument. "So about our kiss…?"

"Ron, I need to sort some things out before I start to even think about that."

"Alright," Ron paused, "We'll have a proper chat when you're ready… I just want to know why you did it."

Hermione blew at a stray piece of hair that was dangling in front of her face. "Ron I-" Hermione cut herself off, she didn't want to hurt Ron so she couldn't exactly tell him she kissed him because she was just really happy to hear him thinking about house elves and their safety in the middle of a battle. "Ron I don't know… I'm not really sure myself." She decided to say. "Like I said, I need to think about things and sort things out before I can say anything."

Ron looked a little disheartened to hear that but nodded. "Alright." He let her go and put a hand on the back of his neck. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?" He asked.

Hermione took a second to think. "I'm going to see my best friend."

"But Harry is upstairs." He pointed out confused.

"My best muggle friend, Ron. I need a connection to my parents and to life before all this, before Hogwarts." Hermione sighed tiredly. "I'll see you tomorrow, I'm guessing you'll all be at the Burrow?"

Ron nodded so Hermione walked off at a fast past to a point beyond the wards where she then apparated to an alley just round the corner from Jax's house. Not thinking to cast a spell to improve her appearance, Hermione rang the doorbell and waited. She grinned when she saw the handle twist before opening to see Jax holding a happily babbling Leon. Jax's eyes widened as she took in the sight in front of her, Hermione was covered from head to toe in grime, her hair was matted and looked like it could use a wash, and her clothes were torn and absolutely filthy. Hermione just didn't look like Hermione.

"What the devil happened to you?" Jax asked utterly astounded.

"We won." Hermione grinned.

"You won?" It took a while for Jax to understand the full implications of those two words. Her face brightened as it dawned on her. "You won?" Hermione nodded. "You won! That's brilliant!" She jumped forward to give Hermione a massive hug, squishing Leon a little bit. When they parted Jax looked her over again, "Wait, if that's what you look like when you've won, what would've happened if you'd lost?"

"Thankfully we'll never know." She then turned her attention to Leon. "Hello baby boy," She held out her arms and Jax handed him to her, "Mummy's home now." He continued to babble happily, clapping his hands together as if he understood what she'd said. They walked into the house and Jax used her foot to close the door behind them.

"Mum's currently out, I think she's shopping for groceries or something." Jax paused. "If you want you could have a shower, maybe freshen up a bit so you don't cover your son in anymore filth."

Hermione handed Leon back to Jax, and noticed the grubby handprints she'd manage to get all over his adorable white shirt than had wizards' hats and broomsticks all over it. "I supposed you're right," She smiled guiltily, "Let me just clean him up before I jump in the shower." She pulled out his wand and charmed the dirt away. "Don't let me be more than 10 minutes, I've actually got to meet someone like now-ish."

Jax nodded, "I'll knock on the door in five," understanding that Hermione would like a warning on how soon her time would be up, "Do you need me to fetch you a spare change of clothes? I can put them by the door."

"If you have anything that fits that'd be amazing! All my clothes are fairly filthy from being on the run with no washing machine."

Jax chuckled as Hermione closed the door to the loo and started running the water. It was such a relief to know that her friend was still alive and out of danger. As much as she loved looking after Leon, if Hermione had died, she would have dreaded the day when she'd have to explain to him why his mother wasn't there to look after him. She couldn't even imagine a scenario where that conversation ended well.

She looked at the baby in her arms. "You're going to be just fine, Leon."


End file.
